Enough
by Patient Harmony
Summary: Vlad moves to a new town to attend the World Academy, and immediately becomes the target for bullies. He forges a friendship with the other three main targets, but soon it becomes just too much, and they've had enough.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Prologue**

The four made their way to the edge of the woods.

They had left their town and home behind, and were now on the other side of the woods.

They could hear the voices of their pursuers. But it was a trick of the wind. They looked back, seeing the trail of crimson liquid, looking perfectly like their footprints. But it was not there.

The skirt got caught, and the blonde tried to free it. They couldn't be caught. They couldn't face their revenge. Not after they had served their justice.

Another passed through the trees without a problem. Another destroyed a tree with a simple touch.

"We can't leave them a trail," the fourth hissed.

It had been since _he_ arrived at the school that things had gone to hell. But they didn't blame him. It was inevitable. The blood that stained their hands was inevitable. The scent of smoke that lingered on their frames was inevitable.

Most feared to be dragged _into_ the fires of hell. But they need not fear, for hell itself had chosen them.

The insanity, blood, death and decay.

 **Hope you enjoyed the prologue. There aren't going to be pairings in this fic, except a mentioned PruHun (it's my friend's OTP, and if I'm not messing with her by writing AusHun, I'm kind and give her PruHun). This will focus a lot on the friendship of the four main characters.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Thanks to Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Zaaze, Mondmaedchen, ScandinavianTrash, ToolboxHDR and Little Bird 8060 for reviewing.**

 **So, I've taken some liberties with the town and school. I think that this way works better for what is to come.**

 **And the 'horror' part will start around chapter 3. For now, all the characters need to be introduced. The stage needs to be set.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 1**

Vlad stared at the building in wonder. It might have looked like a regular cottage, but that didn't matter to him. For the next two years, this would be his home.

He had gotten a scholarship to the most prestigious school in the world, the World Academy. One usually paid a hefty sum in order to study there, but if the school officials saw your potential, then no matter where you were in the world, you just might secure a place.

There were many things that made this _the_ school to attend. All of the students were from around the world, so xenophobia was highly frowned upon. The school also allowed any language to be spoken, and whatever the culture, they were allowed to live it out to the fullest. The academy also owned the town. Ninety percent of the town attended the academy. Then there was a movie theatre that allowed the occupants of the town to watch movies in whatever language they desired. There were also a few restaurants in the town, each serving a variety of dishes from all over the world. And that was just the town. The school itself possessed a large library, once again offering books in any language imaginable, as well as any subject imaginable. There were also clubs for all types of interests.

The school also gave their students housing. If only one person came to the town, then they would get a small cottage. If their entire family came along, then they would get a two-storey house. And no additional costs. The school also gave an allowance, and the school paid for the necessities, such as groceries.

The classes were given in English, and those that could not speak English were given notes in their own language, and they were paired off with another student who could speak both English and the non-English speaker's native language. Vlad was lucky that he understood English, since he was told that he would be the only Romanian in the entire school.

Vlad picked up his suitcase, eager for his new life to begin at this prestigious school. But first, he needed to get comfortable.

"Hey!" a voice called.

Vlad turned and saw a blonde… he wasn't sure if it was a boy or a girl. The voice had been male, but the blonde was wearing a pink dress, and since the hair-length could have been either…

"Um, hello?" Vlad said.

He had heard that the school would be sending a student to help him settle. He wasn't sure if _this_ was that student, however.

"You're like the new guy from Romania, right?" the blonde asked as soon as he reached Vlad.

"Da. I'm Vladimir Lupei, but just call me Vlad."

"Like, you have a totally awesome name. My name's Feliks Łukiesciewisc. I'm from Poland."

"I kind of figured, from your accent. So, you're the one that's supposed to show me around?"

"Tak. And tomorrow, we'll like officially be schoolmates. Which class are you?"

"Eleven A."

"Aw, I'm B. But you're like in the same class as one of my friends."

"I see."

"So, like, let's get your luggage inside, and I'll, like, show you the town, alright?"

"Da. That seems like a good idea."

…

Vlad decided very quickly that he liked Feliks. The blond Pole was bubbly and enthusiastic, showing Vlad around the neighbourhood first before taking him into town. Feliks had also taken him to his own home, and Vlad was a little surprised and disturbed over the amount of pink in the Pole's home.

But when they went to the town where the shops and other commodities were, Feliks seemed to clam up. Vlad was confused about this, wondering what could have caused the sudden change in personality.

"Hey freak!"

That might be it.

Feliks stiffened, and Vlad turned in the direction of the voice. He saw a muscular boy with blond hair and glasses strolling closer to them, his blue eyes sparkling with a bit of malicious intent.

"Do you know this guy?" Vlad quietly asked Feliks.

"Like, unfortunately," Feliks quietly responded.

When the blonde was standing in front of them, he looked down at Feliks as though he was some sort of disease.

"You trying to recruit this guy in your little gay club?" the boy, who Vlad could identify as an American, sneered.

"Like, he's new," Feliks said, his voice small. "The school asked me to show him around."

"Oh really?" the American said, turning his attention towards Vlad. "And where exactly are you from?"

"Romania," Vlad said coldly.

Already he disliked the blonde American.

The American's eyes widened comically, and his mouth seemed to drop open.

"V-v-vampire!" he shouted, running away.

Vlad chuckled in amusement, and Feliks had a thoughtful frown on his face.

"What an idiot," Vlad chuckled.

"Alfred may be an idiot," Feliks said, "but he's a _popular_ idiot. Like, he managed to get nearly everyone in school to treat his brother like a ghost."

"What?" Vlad asked, smile disappearing. "How could he do that?"

"Like, Matt was _invited_ to join the school. Alfred wasn't."

Vlad thought about his own brother, and wondered how anyone could treat their brother the way Alfred did, according to Feliks.

"Like, can we get this over with?" Feliks asked. "I don't really like being around too many people."

"Sure," Vlad said. "Why don't you show me the school first, and then we can come back and maybe get dinner?"

Feliks beamed at the idea.

"Like, that sounds great!" Feliks said.

…

Vlad checked the club bulletin board. There were so many of them. Which should he pick?

"Like, it's not really necessary for you to be in a club," Feliks said.

"But I want to," Vlad said. "It should be fun."

"Not if you know who else is in those clubs."

"Is there a problem? Wait, which ones are Alfred in?"

"The sports club, the gaming club and the comic club."

"The last two are surprising, but whatever. What about the music club?"

"Gilbert is part of the club. He's friends with Alfred."

"Swimming club?"

"Elizaveta's in that club, and she's Gilbert's girlfriend."

"Gourmet food club?"

"Like, there are three problems with that club. Like, the first is Sadiq, who's mean. Second is Francis, who is like Gilbert's friend and is also a nightmare. And the third problem is that they're totally picky on who they let in. Like, not even the Vargas twins are like allowed, and their grandpa owns the Italian restaurant, where they work as both cooks and waiters."

Vlad looked at the list again.

"I'm not even going to ask what the vuvuzela club is," Vlad said.

"Like, they're soccer fans. Not too bad, actually. Just they're _really_ into the game. Also, the South Africans are scary."

"How many South Africans are there?"

"Like, four of them. Two of them are in the club, while the other two are in the sports club and kickboxing club. They're like, twins, that look, like, _exactly_ alike. Only way to tell them apart is because one is _really_ scary."

"…Okay. Siesta club?"

"Like, those are just for those that like to take a nap. But Antonio's in that club, and he's also Gilbert's friend."

"How about…" Vlad said, before he stopped. He saw a flier that he really deemed appropriate. "The magic club?"

Feliks seemed to pale.

"Like, Arthur and Lukas are, like, in that club," Feliks said. "They're, like, not the most social people. In fact, they're the only members of that club."

"But is it real magic?"

"Like, no one knows."

Vlad frowned. He noticed that the club had a meeting the following day, and decided that he might as well see for himself.

"Like, don't tell me you're like interested in this stuff," Feliks said. "I mean, it's not like magic is totally real, right?"

"I saw something a few months ago that I can't explain," Vlad said. "Trust me. It's real."

…

"Like, this is the place," Feliks said.

Vlad was surprised to see how busy the Italian restaurant was. One would think that the students would want to eat the cuisine from their own countries, but clearly the Italian dishes were _very_ popular.

"Like, come on," Feliks said, pulling the Romanian towards a table in the corner, where someone was already sitting.

At first he thought that the one that was sitting at the table was Alfred, but upon closer inspection, he saw that the other looked slightly different.

"Like, hey Mattie!" Feliks greeted.

The one identified as 'Mattie' jumped, turning surprised eyes towards Feliks before focusing on Vlad.

"Like, this is Vlad," Feliks introduced, sliding into the seat opposite the blond, dragging Vlad with him. "He just moved from Romania. Vlad, this is Matthew, our resident Canadian."

"Nice to meet you," Matthew said, speaking quietly and still looking nervous.

"Likewise," Vlad said. "So far, you're a lot better than Alfred."

Matthew's eyes widened, and Vlad started to feel that he said something wrong.

"What can I get you, Pink Jerk?"

Vlad was startled when he heard the Italian voice next to him, and turned to see a grumpy-looking face. The boy was looking towards Feliks, but every now and again he would glance towards Vlad.

"Like, Lovi!" Feliks greeted, completely unfazed by what the other said. "Glad you're here. Like, this is Vlad. He just came from Romania."

'Lovi' glanced towards him before focusing on Feliks again. The Pole pouted.

"Like, you're no fun," Feliks said. "Usual."

"Si," Lovi said. "And you, Bastard?"

The question was directed towards him, but Vlad didn't know how to respond to him.

"Like, give him a chance to like look at the menu," Feliks said.

"Actually," Vlad said, "I think I'll take whatever you recommend."

The Italian arched a brow, but shrugged, turning back to the kitchen.

"Lovino doesn't usually get that request," Matthew said. "I think you just made his day."

"Like, you _might_ just get upgraded to 'jerk'," Feliks said.

"What's that all about, anyway?" Vlad asked.

"Lovino calls people three things," Matthew said. "'Jerk', 'Bastard' and 'Something Bastard'."

"Like, 'Jerk' is a form of endearment," Feliks said. "He calls me 'Pink Jerk', and Mattie is 'Maple Jerk'. If he calls you 'Bastard', it means he doesn't know how to feel about you. Like, he feels neutral. And those with something added to the 'Bastard' means that he hates you."

"Alfred is 'Hamburger Bastard'," Matthew muttered.

"How is it that you look like him?" Vlad asked.

"We're brothers," Matthew said. "Our parents split when we were little, and got back together a few years ago. Remarried one year ago."

"Tak," Feliks said. "Mattie lived in Canada, while Alfred lived in America. And when their parents remarried…"

"That's when we got the acceptance letter," Matthew sighed. "Or rather, _I_ got the letter."

"Alfred, like, hates Mattie because he got the letter but Alfred didn't," Feliks said. "The only reason Alfred is here is because of Mattie."

"So he hates Matthew for it," Vlad sighed. He then remembered what Feliks said about Alfred's brother, and realised that it was Matthew.

"Here you go," an Italian voice said, placing a plate of pizza in front of Vlad, a glass of red soda accompanying it.

Vlad looked up to see Lovino, who placed Feliks and Matthew's orders in front of them. He then turned to Vlad.

"I figured you'd like a meaty pizza," Lovino said. "And I also gave you raspberry soda. Got a problem with that, Bastard?"

"Nu," Vlad said, smirking. "Mulțumesc. This looks nice."

Lovino hummed in thought.

"Vampire," he muttered. "I need to remember that."

Vlad looked at him questioningly, but Lovino had already turned away.

"He'll keep that for future reference," Matthew said.

"What is it about people calling me 'vampire'?" Vlad questioned.

"Well," Feliks said. "It, like, _might_ be because of that tooth of yours."

Vlad felt the one tooth that was a little long.

"This is a family trait," Vlad said. "Still doesn't mean people should call me 'vampire'."

"And the red eyes," Matthew pointed out.

" _You_ two don't seem to be bothered by it," Vlad said.

"Gilbert has red eyes," Matthew said.

Lovino came into sight again, plopping himself down next to Matthew, his own pizza and drink in front of him.

"Shift ended?" Matthew asked.

"Si," Lovino said. "So, what's this about the Albino Bastard?"

"Red eyes," Matthew said.

"I see," Lovino said. He then turned to Vlad. "So Bastard, how'd you get in the school? Your parents pay, or are you smart in some way?"

"I got a scholarship," Vlad said.

Lovino nodded his head in understanding.

"Kesesese," a laugh caught Vlad's attention, and the other three tensed.

"Gówno," Feliks muttered.

"Speak of the devil," Matthew whispered.

Vlad started to turn, but Feliks grabbed his shoulder, stopping all movement.

"Keep your head down," Feliks muttered. "We don't need to attract attention to ourselves."

Vlad did as told, but he was still curious as to the reaction. Matthew and Lovino kept their heads down as well.

Out of the corner of his eye, Vlad saw three pairs of legs. He also noticed the three he was sitting with tense further. At first he thought the three would pass, but that changed when a tanned hand was placed on Lovino's head, a little harshly. Lovino jumped when the owner of the hand got closer.

"Well, if it isn't little Lovi," the boy, who Vlad could identify as Spanish, sneered. "Whose life did you ruin today?"

"Fuck off, Tomato Bastard," Lovino muttered, swatting the hand away.

"And who's this?" another voice, which Vlad realised was French, asked, right before a face with blue eyes appeared right before him.

"Vlad," Matthew said, his voice small. "Il est nouveau."

"Ah, a new student," the Frenchman said, eyeing Vlad. "Are you perhaps that 'vampire' Alfred's been talking about?"

"Probably," Vlad huffed, leaning back, away from the Frenchman.

"Kesesese," that annoying laugh again, and the French face was replaced by another, one with red eyes. "Why is someone with an awesome eye colour hanging out with these losers?"

Vlad arched a brow, seeing the other three tense again.

"Because so far, they're the only nice and polite people I've met in this town," Vlad said, with a little venom, which only made his accent sound thicker.

The final boy, whom Vlad identified as German, drew back, a frown on his face.

"You actually think that _Lovino_ is _polite_?" the Spaniard laughed. " _He_ doesn't even know how to _spell_ the word 'polite'."

"Fuck off," Lovino muttered.

"And you're just proving my point," Vlad said.

The Spaniard stopped laughing, his eyes soon resembling emerald fire.

"I see you've got a pair on you," the German said. "We'll see if it helps you survive the _week_."

And with that, the trio departed.

Lovino turned teary eyes on Vlad.

"You didn't have to lie, Bastard," Lovino muttered.

"I didn't," Vlad said, taking a drink of his soda. "You three really are nice. Granted, I've only met seven people so far, but you three are the nicest."

The trio stared at him for a while.

"That's pretty nice of you, Vampire Jerk," Lovino said.

Ah. So _that's_ why Lovino made a note about 'vampire'. Well, by being called 'Jerk', he's assuming that Lovino liked him.

"Who _were_ those three?" Vlad asked.

"They call themselves the 'Bad Touch Trio'," Matthew said. "The blond is Francis, and he's from France."

"The French Bastard," Lovino muttered. "Antonio is the Tomato Bastard."

"Like, the Spaniard," Feliks said.

"And we already told you about the Albino Bastard," Lovino said. "He's _technically_ from Germany, but he insists that he's Prussian, just because he was born in Konigsberg."

"Like, the former capital, before the country, like dissolved," Feliks said.

"I see," Vlad said. "Why did they…?"

"It's not just them," Matthew said. "Nearly everyone in school. The three of us are the most bullied students in school. We'll understand if this is the last time you want to spend time with us."

"It can't be _that_ bad," Vlad said.

"Nearly everyone treats Matteo like a ghost," Lovino said. "They pointedly ignore him. Everyone says that I ruin lives, since my name is close to a word that means 'to ruin'. And Feliks is made fun of because he likes to wear girls' clothes, with them calling him a 'freak'."

"Bastards," Vlad muttered.

He saw the corner of Lovino's mouth twitch.

"And that's only the emotional bullying," Feliks said. "The physical…"

"If you wanna get out, now's a damn good time to do it," Lovino snapped.

"Nu," Vlad said. "Like I said, I like you three."

…

The next morning, Vlad stood outside of his class, feeling nervous. It was the usual new-school-nervousness, but there was also something else.

After they left the other two, Feliks told him that there was a chance the Bad Touch Trio would have it out for him. Whether it was to hurt him or to tear him away from the other three, he would be on their radar.

"You can come in now," a woman's voice said, and Vlad swallowed nervously, opening the door.

The teacher, a busty Ukrainian woman, smiled kindly.

"This is Vladimir Lupei," the teacher, Miss Braginskaya, introduced. "He comes all the way from Romania. Vladimir, could you please say something about yourself?"

"Da," Vlad said, turning to the class. At the back he saw Matthew's face, who gave him a small, almost sad smile. "Well, I prefer to be called Vlad. I have a little brother back home in Bucharest, and I really love to read."

"You forgot something," a girl said, and Vlad could tell from her accent that she was Hungarian. "You forgot to mention that you're a vampire."

After that, the class broke out in chatter, some of them looking at Vlad in mock fear, while others looked at him with something akin to hunger.

"Alright, that's enough," Miss Braginskaya said. "Vlad, you can sit anywhere you want."

Vlad nodded, sitting in an empty seat at the back, next to Matthew. The other students kept looking back, and when Vlad looked at Matthew, he saw the sadness in the Canadian's eyes.

And so, it began.

 **The part about the four South Africans is one of my headcanons. South Africa used to have four provinces, which used to be two republics and two colonies. The Cape, which would be represented by a coloured due to the, for lack of a better word, interbreeding that took place during the Dutch colonialism (where everyone was equal, and only the first generation is considered a slave, and if the second generation wanted to be part of the community they were allowed. It was only after the British arrived that that changed). Natal would be black, specifically Zulu, since that was where the Zulu Empire used to be. And then you get the two Boer Republics, which would be represented by identical white twins. One is a little meaner than the other. In modern times, one would represent White South Africa while the other would represent Apartheid South Africa, and it's impossible for others to tell the difference. This is sadly the truth, since white South Africans are often accused of longing for the days of Apartheid, and that they all took an active role in it. People ignore the fact that there were whites that suffered under Apartheid as well. And white South Africans receive more racist accusations than any of the others.**

 **To put it into perspective, we had these Dutch exchange students that told us about when they first got there. The lodging they were staying at as a group were broken into while all but one of them were out, and they had to report the theft to the police. The police, all black, acted disinterested towards them and it was obvious that they didn't care. This is the usual reaction we get, by the way. They also mentioned that people that had arrived after them were helped faster, due to the fact that they were black. The police only started acting nicer when they mentioned that they were Dutch. So if you're ever visiting and you're white, then you may want to mention that you're just on vacation. They tend to be nicer to you then.**

 **Speaking of racist, here's what the ANC have to say: the leader of the youth league suggested that they work to make the rand** _ **drop**_ **. The economy needs to pretty much collapse, and then the ANC will build it back up so that everyone can see that it's the ANC that saved the economy and not the white capitalists. And in the same vein Zuma said that he wouldn't resign because that's what the white capitalists want. And there's been a campaign for 'Zuma must fall' for** _ **months**_ **. And a while back,** _ **another**_ **member of the ANC commented that learning French is racist, and that we should rather try to learn one of the indigenous languages. It's easier to learn French because we** _ **actually**_ **have teachers willing to teach us. Suggest to any of the Zulus or Xhosas that you want to learn their language, and they're** _ **not**_ **happy. It's a crime for a whitey to speak** _ **their**_ **language. The Tswanas are a little more willing, though, and they also become politer when they learn you speak their language, or at least some of it. And then they wouldn't even** _ **dare**_ **to try to learn Afrikaans, because it's the language of Apartheid and the oppressor. They'd rather speak English, and a lot of them are campaigning to get Afrikaans dropped in schools so that everyone learns in English, and accuse Afrikaners for being racist because we're fighting back. You won't see anyone campaigning to have one of the other languages in the schools, though, and if it is, it's the** _ **second**_ **additional language.**

 **Sorry for the rant. I heard about the youth league leader and Zuma's statements an hour ago, and I'm still a little mad about it.** _ **This**_ **from the Rainbow Nation.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Thanks to HetaStar, JustAGuest, Star Symphonic, ScandinavianTrash, Tarlockean-and-Proud, Zaaze, FeetInTheAir, Little Bird 8060, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary and NekoRyuuKo for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 2**

During the entire homeroom period, Matthew watched as Vlad had to endure the harsh whispers of the others. Of course, he already knew this would happen.

The previous night, Alfred had mentioned something about making the 'vampire's' life hell. And apparently, he had spread the word like wildfire.

Since he, Feliks and Lovino had grown so used to being the school's targets, they were now considered a little boring. But now the hyenas had fresh meat, and they would tear Vlad apart until there was nothing left.

And as far as Matthew knew, Alfred didn't know that Vlad had even spoken to him, Feliks and Lovino, asides from being shown around the town by Feliks.

As predicted, one of two things happened. The first would have been that Vlad would have been turned against the three of them, as it had happened in the past. The second would have been that Vlad was labelled the new target.

Guess which one happened.

…

Vlad entered his first period class and brightened slightly when he saw Lovino. Which was strange, considering the Italian's personality.

At least it would help this annoying class go by faster.

Lovino raised an eyebrow as Vlad took a seat next to him.

"Homeroom rough?" Lovino asked.

"Da," Vlad said. "How's the teacher in this class?"

"Mister Oxensternia," Lovino said. "He's interesting with history. You should have seen him when we did the Vikings. I think he's definitely descended from them. Trust me."

Vlad frowned in confusion, and ignored the jabs from the other students. Apparently, all of them decided that it would be funny to call the new Romanian a vampire.

Of course, when the teacher started the class they were all silenced by the glare, and Vlad had to admit that he agreed with Lovino.

The Swedish teacher _did_ look like he had Viking blood in him.

…

Vlad sighed in annoyance as he entered the lunchroom. Throughout the first four periods he was forced to endure the taunts of the other students. It was like there was a sign around his neck that said 'I'm a Romanian, so I must be a vampire. Destroy me socially!'

Well, it was only the first day, and he hoped that the hype would wear off in a few days.

At the queue he chose pasta that smelled strongly of garlic. At least this might be able to disprove the other students. And he also decided to choose the grape soda instead of the cherry soda in order to convince them even more.

"Vlad!" a voice called out, making him look in that direction. "Like, over here!"

Vlad gave a soft smile when he saw Matthew, Feliks and Lovino sitting at a table. At least he made _some_ friends.

"You chose the pasta?" Lovino immediately asked when Vlad sat down. "That's nothing but crap. The garlic is too strong, even for us Italians."

"Maybe," Vlad said. "But vampires hate garlic."

"Are you trying to disprove those rumours?" Matthew asked.

"Da," Vlad said, taking a bite from the overly-spiced pasta and wincing slightly.

He noticed that all three of the others had lunch boxes before them.

"I take it you don't like the cafeteria food?" Vlad asked.

"Tak."

"Si."

"Oui."

"I'll remember that for future reference," Vlad said. He looked around. "So, um, who are the ones I should look out for?"

The three sighed, looking around.

"Pretty much everybody," Lovino said. "There's the four bastards you met yesterday. Then there's the Potato Bastard…"

"Actually," Matthew said, "Ludwig isn't a problem. Lovino just doesn't like him because he's Gilbert's brother and Feliciano's best friend."

"Who's Feliciano?" Vlad asked.

"My idiota of a fratello," Lovino said. "Then there's the Hungarian Bitch…"

"Hungarian says a lot," Vlad said, interrupting.

"She's also the Albino Bastard's girlfriend. Then there's the Scarf Bastard…"

"Ivan," Feliks said. "Like, super creepy Russian. And his little sister Natalya is like even more of a nutcase. But neither of them will do anything when Miss Katyusha is like around."

"Still can't believe she's related to those two," Lovino said. "Miss Katyusha is nice. Her fratello and sorella aren't."

"And what do you call Natalya?" Vlad asked.

"Knife Bitch," the three murmured.

"She carries knives around," Matthew clarified.

"Is that even allowed?" Vlad asked.

"Like, not even the teachers want to mess with Natalya," Feliks said.

"Well, which one is she?"

The three pointed to a table, and he turned to see a girl with a bow on her head glaring at three of the boys sharing a table with her and another boy that was large with a creepy grin on his face.

"I'm assuming the one sitting next to her is Ivan?" Vlad asked.

"Your assumption is correct," Matthew said.

"What about those other three?"

"The Baltics are harmless," Lovino said. "Even my stupid fratello has more of a backbone than them. And that's saying something."

"Okay, who else?" Vlad asked.

"There's Allen," Matthew said. "He and my brother have this strange friendship since they're both American."

"The Veggie Bastard," Lovino muttered.

"Like, he's one of the worst," Feliks said.

"Then there's Sadiq…" Matthew said.

"Mask Bastard," Lovino murmured.

"He's usually wearing a mask, so you can't miss him. Then there's Kyo…"

"Japanese Bastard."

"He has a twin brother, Kiku. Kiku's nice, Kyo isn't. Kyo has red eyes too, so you shouldn't be able to confuse them too much."

"There's the Korean Bastard," Lovino said.

"Yeah, but Yong Soo's mostly annoying. There's Mathias…"

"Viking Bastard."

"He's Danish, and he and Mr Oxensternia have this strange hatred of each other. Plus he seems to like the Viking history too."

"There's the Cuban Bastard."

"Carlos is not someone you want as an enemy," Matthew said. "As it is, I'm his favourite. The last bruises finally disappeared."

Vlad's eyes widened at that.

"Yeah," Matthew said. "I think that's everyone."

"Wait, are those the ones that…"

"Most of them, tak," Feliks said. "We're used to it."

"But you shouldn't be. Can't you just…"

"Nothing works," Lovino said. "And every time one of us tries to make another friend, they swoop in and get them the hell away from us. Then they either join in, or they're too scared to say anything to help us."

"And what about me?" Vlad asked.

"They already marked you," Matthew sighed. "I'm sorry to say this, but if you try to make friends with someone else they'll turn you down."

"That's okay," Vlad said. "You guys are nicer anyway. And I don't think I'd want any other friends."

"We'll see about that," Lovino sighed.

…

It was in Chemistry where it _really_ started to go bad.

He was lucky enough to have the class with Feliks, and when the teacher instructed them to pair off, Vlad chose Feliks as his partner, something that surprised the Polish boy, but he didn't complain.

And Alfred was in the same class as them. Sitting behind them.

They were busy with a beaker of dilute acid when it happened.

Vlad heard Alfred ask the boy next to him what a good way was to dispel a vampire, and the British boy listed off a few things. Vlad tuned them out, ignoring them. At least, until Alfred mentioned something that set off alarm bells in his mind.

"So, you're saying holy water is a good way?"

That was all warning Vlad received before a sharp sting contacted with his back. He screamed in surprise and pain, and the teacher was at his side in a moment.

"Mister Jones, what did you _do_?" the teacher, Mr Kirkland, demanded of the boy.

"Oops," Alfred said, and Vlad could hear the smirk in his voice. "Sorry teach. It slipped."

"Arthur, Feliks, take him to the infirmary," Mr Kirkland said. "As for _you_ , Jones. Principal's office. _Now_."

…

Vlad allowed Feliks and the other boy, Arthur, to lead him towards the infirmary. His back seemed to burn, and there were tears just threatening to fall.

"I'm sorry about that," Arthur said. "If I knew he was going to do something like that, I wouldn't have…"

"It's okay," Vlad said. "It's not your fault."

"Still… Oh, where are my manners? My name is Arthur Kirkland. Alistair is my brother."

Vlad frowned, understanding that the boy was related to their teacher. However…

"How is it your accents are different?" Vlad asked.

"Our parents focused on different first languages. Alistair was taught Scottish Gaelic, while I was taught English. I have two other elder brothers, one is Irish and the other Welsh. It's actually quite complicated."

"Like, hey Arthur," Feliks interrupted, causing the other two to look towards him. "Vlad here is considering joining the magic club."

"Really?" Arthur asked sceptically. "You should realise that we only accept those with _real_ magic, and not those that know silly parlour tricks."

"Does someone that specialises in sanguinem magicae count?" Vlad asked.

"Wait, you know _that_?"

"Da. Accidentally stumbled upon it when I was a kid and I scraped my knee."

Arthur hummed in thought.

"Like, we're here," Feliks said.

"Alright," Arthur said. "Vlad, is it? If you _really_ want to join, meet us after school. Room 113B."

"Okay," Vlad said.

They opened the door, seeing a nurse seated behind her desk, reading a novel. She looked up when the door opened, and immediately put the book aside.

"Don't you have Chemistry now?" she asked, but moved to their side.

"Yes," Arthur said.

Vlad hissed as his back was turned to face the nurse, and she clicked her tongue.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Dilute acid. But we didn't finish diluting it before Alfred spilled it all over him."

"Should have known Jones is involved," the nurse muttered. "Sit down and remove your shirt, please."

Vlad moved to sit on the bed, taking off his shirt, which had started to stick to his skin. He saw, with some concern, that the shirt had a few holes in it where the acid had started eating away.

"You'll need a new shirt," the nurse mused. "I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"He just moved here," Arthur said. "Do you need anything, Mother?"

'Mother?' Vlad thought. 'Now that I think about it, I _can_ see a resemblance.'

"Well then," Mrs Kirkland said. "I'll need to open a new folder for you. And I need you to sign some basic papers. But I'll tend to your back first. Lie down on your stomach, please."

Vlad did as told, and hissed when he felt cold ointment.

"The damage doesn't appear _too_ severe," Mrs Kirkland said. "It's only scalded, thankfully not burned. It should disappear in a few days."

"Good to know," Vlad said through gritted teeth.

…

Matthew grew worried. Feliks had yet to arrive for their last class of the day.

Gym.

It's also the only class the three of them had together. And Vlad possibly had it as well.

"What's taking that jerk so long?" Lovino muttered.

"I hope nothing bad happened," Matthew said.

The two froze when large arms were thrown around their shoulders.

"Privet," the familiar voice of Ivan Braginski greeted them. "Where is little Feliks?"

"We don't know," Matthew said, trembling slightly.

"That's a shame. So I heard you made friends with the new Romanian."

"S-si," Lovino stuttered.

"Fredka said something about him having some sort of _accident_. I hope he's okay."

And with that, Ivan departed, smile on his face. The Italian and the Canadian shivered.

"Did something happen to Vlad?" Matthew wondered.

"Judging by the look on the Hamburger Bastard's face, I'm saying that's a 'si'," Lovino muttered.

Matthew frowned, looking towards his brother. Alfred had his usual flock around him, which consisted of _most_ of their bullies.

"Alright, settle down!" the Gym teacher, Mr Zwingli, ordered. "Today, we'll be…"

He was interrupted when three figures rushed in, looking a little dishevelled. Matthew and Lovino were slightly relieved to see their two missing friends.

The three handed notes to the teacher, who nodded his head in understanding for their tardiness. Arthur and Feliks went to join the rest of the students while Vlad went to sit on the bleachers.

As soon as Feliks reached them, they demanded answers.

"Like, Alfred poured dilute acid on him in Chemistry," Feliks said lowly.

"That hoser!" Matthew whispered. "I didn't think he would go that far on Vlad's first day."

"But now we know," Lovino said. "Vampire Jerk is one of us."

…

Vlad swallowed nervously. It was after school, and he was standing in front of Room 113B. He was still wearing his Gym shirt, since his usual shirt had been destroyed. And now he was glad his mother had insisted on him getting at least ten shirts.

He sighed, before he opened the door. He hoped he would be accepted. After all, he knew _real_ magic. He just hoped that they weren't put off by it.

He was gifted when it came to Blood Magic. It was dangerous, since it involved that he needed to use blood for it. Some minor spells didn't need blood, while a few others required at least a wound on his body, as long as it hadn't scabbed over. Others required a fresh wound, while others needed a lot more blood, preferably from another source.

He had never gone into the last one before, but in theory he should be able to do those kinds of spells.

There was only one other person in the room. It was a blond boy with blank blue eyes and what appeared to be a floating curl.

The boy regarded him with a raised eyebrow.

"This is the magic club, right?" Vlad asked.

"Ja," the other boy said. "Though Arthur is running late. What makes you think you can join?"

"My family's had an affinity with Blood Magic since the fourteenth century," Vlad said, trying to get things over with.

"Good on you for knowing the usual form of magic in Eastern Europe," the other said. "What of Rune Magic?"

"Northern Europe, da? Scandinavian countries, if I'm not mistaken."

"I'm impressed so far. But I'll need to _see_ your magic."

"Understandable," Vlad said, before he used his sharper-than-normal canine tooth to puncture the skin on one of his fingers.

When a bead of blood appeared, he snapped his fingers, and an orb of fire appeared. The other boy watched him, but he could see that he was intrigued. He manipulated the orb of fire, and the flames shifted, first taking on the shape of a flower, then a butterfly, and then a snake, coiling around his arm.

He then turned the flame into a bird, allowing it to fly around the room before it froze just in front of the other boy. He held out his hand, keeping it a safe distance from the fire, and Vlad allowed the flames to dissipate.

"Impressive," a voice said from behind, and Vlad spun around to face Arthur. "What do you think Lukas?"

"It would seem he knows all about the real thing," Lukas said. "I guess we'll finally be adding a third member."

Vlad beamed.

"However," Arthur said, "whatever happens in this club is to remain between the three of us. If you reveal anything to anyone else, the consequences would be dire."

"Understood," Vlad said.

"Alright then. How's your back?"

"It still hurts, but it's a little better. That must have been some ointment."

"My mother may not be properly versed in magic, but she knows enough to create decent remedies. And with an acid burn, it would be most useful."

…

He was smiling as he made his way to his home.

He was glad that he had been accepted into the magic club. That was _something_ at least. They had done research on good luck charms from all over the world. There was a market day approaching in a few weeks' time, and they intended to sell them to help the club with funds. It would seem that, due to the nature of the club, the school was hesitant in providing something to the club. Many of the things they had were acquired through their own resources.

He was glad that the magic club existed otherwise things would have been more troublesome for him. It was easier if more than one person worked together, and he didn't want to make things too difficult for himself, especially considering how he was marked now by the bullies. According to the other two, the club wasn't taken too seriously, and most people ignored it.

Of course, he wondered if the others would have been marked by the bullies as well. Or whether or not they would use this against him.

He actually liked Arthur and Lukas, and was a little put off when he discovered that they were friends with Alfred and Mathias, respectively. But the two promised to keep his presence in the magic club a secret. They understood that he was already having a rough time, and had no intention to make it harder for him than it needed to be. And perhaps they might be able to convince their friends to lay off on him.

When he reached his house, however, he lost his smile and froze, eyes widening in horror.

He didn't know how they found out which house was his, but they did. There were cloves of garlic scattered across the lawn. There were handmade crucifixes stabbed into the ground as well. And in red paint (or what he assumed was paint) were written the following words on his walls: _Go home vampire!_

He had looked forward to attending this school, but obviously, there were those that had no intention of allowing him to enjoy his time there.

But what bothered him the most was that something like this would need a lot of planning. There was no way that this was all arranged in one day. And there was no way all of these crucifixes were made by a single person, at least not in the hour or so he had spent at the magic club.

He sighed, seeing all the cleaning he needed to do, and braced himself for a _long_ afternoon.

 **Chemistry wasn't one of my subjects, but my sister had it, and she helped me a little with the dilute acid. So if it's wrong, understand that it wasn't part of my forte.**

 **I'm going to try to avoid adding unnecessary OCs, so I'm going to see how much I can get away with by using the Nyotalia and 2P characters. But if I do add an OC, they'll usually go unnamed, unless they're someone's parents.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Thanks to ScandinavianTrash, Tarlockean-and-Proud, Kattie, Zaaze, Little Bird 8060, NekoRyuuKo and Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary for reviewing.**

 **I see everyone's excited to see the 2Ps. I should probably mention that at this point the only ones that play a significant role are 2PAmerica and 2PJapan, though there will be mention of Lovino's uncles, Luciano and Flavio. That might change, since this is still a work in progress and more would probably come.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 3**

The rest of the week had gone in more or less the same way. They had tormented him at school, they had tortured him when he was out in the town, and they had tortured him at his own home.

So far, he didn't like the school _at all_.

He had met each of the bullies, and had learned which ones had turned their specific attention to him.

There was Alfred, of course, and the Bad Touch Trio, as he learned Gilbert, Francis and Antonio were called. Then Sadiq had turned his attention to him, as evidenced when the Turk had 'accidentally' run into him with a tray of spicy kebabs in his hands. Naturally, some of it had gotten in his eyes. Then there was Elizaveta, but it was a mutual dislike from the start, and they were both willing to fight each other. It appeared to have amused many of the other students to see the two at each other's throats. Mathias enjoyed getting him down, and usually shoved him or tried to pin him to drive the point across. And then there was Ivan, who seemed to find it entertaining to creep him out.

The rest of the bullies didn't really bother with him, and focused more on his friends, who had gotten used to their treatment of them. But Vlad was the shiny new toy, so for his first week he had received most of their cruelty.

But Lovino, Feliks and Matthew had noticed that some of the things they did to Vlad was a lot crueller than what they did to them.

…

The worst had come on the Friday.

Vlad woke up, feeling that something was seriously wrong. He knew that something bad would happen to him that day, but he didn't know what it would be.

He got dressed, as was normal, and after he got his bag had gone to the front door.

First sign that something was wrong.

When he opened it, he only had a second to wonder what the movement out of the corner of his eye was before something fell on his head. It felt really light.

There was suddenly a flash of light and the sound of laughter. He looked to the ground where some of whatever had fallen on him fell.

Glitter.

He looked up again, only to see the Bad Touch Trio running away from his home.

He instantly turned back inside, hoping to find a mirror. And when he did, he stared at his reflection in horror.

He looked like one of those fairy princesses that that American author tried to pass off as vampires. His hair, face and shoulders were completely covered in the stuff, and it diminished slightly the lower his eyes travelled.

He cursed, making a beeline for the shower. He was _trying_ to be on time, perhaps a little early, but now, it would seem that he would be late.

And he didn't want to know how they would tease him for _that_.

…

"Damn bastards," Lovino muttered.

It was lunchtime, and Vlad had already told them about what had happened that morning.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come here," Vlad sighed.

"Nie, don't think like that," Feliks scolded. "You do _not_ want them to win. And besides. Like, it's nice to finally have a new friend."

The corner of Vlad's mouth twitched.

"Pink Jerk is right," Lovino said. "You can't let a bunch of bastards ruin this opportunity for you."

"Can't we at least tell the teachers or something?" Vlad asked.

"We've tried," Matthew sighed. "Unless the teacher actually sees them doing something, they can't help. They always play the racist card, saying that we're only saying it because they're this or that and we hate them for it. So we can't go to the teachers."

"And like, the bullying gets worse after every attempt to stop it," Feliks said. "So like, the best thing we can do is endure it and wait for graduation."

"But, isn't what they're doing to me racism?" Vlad asked.

"In the beginning, yes," Matthew said. "When they heard that there would be a new student coming all the way from Romania, they started planning a few pranks. When Ludwig and Gilbert first arrived from Germany, they had to endure a few Nazi pranks. But it was harmless. They seem to genuinely dislike you."

"I think it's because you turned down the Bad Touch Trio," Lovino said. "Those bastards are clearly not used to rejection, and they didn't like you defending us."

Vlad sighed, before a shadow loomed over him. He looked up to see Ivan standing behind him, wearing his usual creepy grin.

"You have something in your hair," Ivan said, before ruffling Vlad's hair. His hand came back with a few pieces of glitter.

After that, Ivan went away.

"That guy is seriously creepy," Feliks said.

Vlad didn't have any more time to wonder about it before someone else came up behind him, and he screamed when scalding soup was poured over him.

"Oops," a familiar voice said mockingly. "Looks like you had a little trouble with your lunch, vampire boy."

Vlad refused to look at Alfred, feeling the anger and tears building. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and stormed out of the lunchroom, ignoring the snickers that followed him.

…

They found Vlad in one of the bathrooms, trying to clean the tomato soup from his hair and clothes.

"Bastards," Lovino said once again, before the three of them went to help their new friend.

"Does it ever get better?" Vlad asked, and the trio realised that he was crying.

Matthew sighed.

"Once you get used to it," he said. "The first week is always the roughest."

" _No one_ should have to 'get used' to this," Lovino spat. "No one should have to go through what those bastards make _us_ go through."

"None of it," Feliks whispered. "Like, I wish there was some way we could tell them that we've had enough without them hurting us further."

"I do too," Matthew said. "But none of them will listen."

"Si. Someone needs to _make_ them listen," Lovino said.

"Da. They need to know that this isn't right," Vlad said.

None of them noticed how the lights flickered briefly, nor did they notice the shadows in the mirrors.

…

It was during gym that they had to endure pain one more time.

It was dodgeball, as cliché as it was. The four friends were assigned to the same team. And naturally, every bully in class was on the opposite team.

"Alright," Mr Zwingli said. "No funny business. Now, let's start."

And when the whistle blew, chaos erupted.

Vlad was the first person hit, right in the stomach. _Hard_. As he was doubled over, a few more balls hit him on his head and shoulders with equal force.

He groaned when the whistle blew, indicating that the teacher was trying to stop the onslaught against him from continuing. As soon as he was able to, he made his way off the court.

The others had better luck dodging, showing that they were used to it, but eventually Feliks, Lovino and Matthew were hit, and they swiftly made their way to safety.

"Every time?" Vlad asked.

Matthew rubbed his stomach, Feliks his shoulder and Lovino his head, and all three nodded their heads.

"They manage to get away with it because it's dodgeball," Matthew said.

Vlad nodded his head in understanding, and the three watched the rest of the game.

…

"Well congratulations, Vampire Jerk," Lovino said. "You survived your first week."

Vlad grumbled at his friend's words.

"It could be worse," Matthew tried to console. "At least you don't have to share a house with any of them."

Vlad's eyes widened, having forgotten that Matthew and Alfred were brothers.

"So, my house again?" Feliks asked.

"Actually, how about Vlad's?" Matthew suggested.

"Uh, what now?" Vlad asked, confused.

"Every Friday we go to the Pink Jerk's house," Lovino explained. "Since he's the only one that lived alone. But now we have you."

Before Vlad could say anything, Matthew pulled him closer and whispered in his ear.

"Please, we're tired of seeing pink every week," Matthew whispered.

Vlad nodded his head in understanding, and he smirked.

"Sure," Vlad said. "I think it'll be fun to have guests that I actually _want_ at my house."

"Like, I have no idea how they even know where you live," Feliks said. "And it's like totally rude that they bully you at your own house."

Vlad smiled softly, glad that he had managed to find friends like the other three.

…

"Like, this place is so boring, it's sad," Feliks said.

Vlad sighed, listening to the Pole criticise the interior of his house.

"Give him a break, Pink Jerk," Lovino said. "He's only been here about a week. He hasn't had _time_ to really decorate this place yet."

Vlad's eyes widened when Feliks turned to face him, a smirk on his face.

"Then, like, we're going to take you out shopping tomorrow to get some fabulous décor," Feliks said. "And, like, I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Vlad felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Matthew smiling at him.

"Good luck," the Canadian whispered.

"Oh but, like, you two are coming with us," Feliks said. "We can totally make it a day out. And then, like, you're going to help me decorate this place."

The other three sighed.

"Fine," Lovino huffed. "I guess _someone_ has to make sure that this place isn't pink."

"Oh, I don't think pink is the way to go with Vlad," Feliks said. "Like, we can totally make it black and red. Give it a gothic look."

"Um, we're trying not to convince people that I'm a vampire," Vlad said.

"Like, this is what makes it fun!" Feliks said, looking completely serious.

"I think I see what Feliks is trying to say," Matthew said. "We're going to make them see that they can't laugh _at_ you if you're laughing along with them. We'll make them see that they can't get you down."

Vlad gave a small smile, happy that his friends were trying to help him.

"Now," Feliks said, "let's start this party!"

Lovino sighed.

"Please tell me you have food, or ingredients for food," Lovino said.

"Da," Vlad said. "I went grocery shopping earlier this week."

"Great. I'll be in the kitchen, making us something edible to eat."

"Like, I only burned something _once_ ," Feliks said.

"Actually," Matthew said, "it was twelve times."

Vlad chuckled when he saw the Pole's pout.

…

Gilbert, Francis, Antonio, Alfred, Sadiq, Mathias and Elizaveta were at Antonio's house. They were planning their latest prank on the Romanian, and it would be the best one yet.

"Don't forget the food colouring," Gilbert said. "And make sure it's extra thick."

"Hey, you know what I just figured out?" Alfred said. "He's friends with those other losers, and they spend every Friday together."

"So the other three will be there as well," Sadiq said, smirking. "We can get all four of them then, huh?"

"That's what I was thinking."

"Dude, aren't you worried about your Bruder?" Gilbert asked.

"Mattie's a loser, and hanging out with those other freaks is turning him into a freak as well. It's time he saw that."

"You're vicious, you know that?" Mathias said, chuckling.

…

The four of them were watching movies on Vlad's TV. They were surprised by the amount of romance and fantasy movies the other had. Feliks had mentioned that they had thought he would have an abundance of horror movies, especially those with vampires. Vlad chuckled at that.

Lovino kept looking around to see if he could find anything else, though he was glad that none of Vlad's movies were chick flicks. Feliks, of course, was a little disappointed by it.

They were watching _Neverending Story_ when they were startled by the sound of someone knocking on the front door. They turned to the direction of the door and froze.

"Who do you think it is?" Matthew asked.

"I don't know," Lovino said. "But I don't like this one bit."

Vlad was trembling slightly. Unless it was Lukas or Arthur, he knew that he shouldn't open the door. But since he never told the other two members of the club where he lived, he figured that whoever was at the door was bad news.

"Yo, you in there?" Alfred's voice called out.

"Like, don't go," Feliks said. "It's a trap."

Alfred pounded again, harder this time, and the quartet flinched.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Matthew said.

Vlad swallowed nervously, before standing to answer the door.

"Don't do it," Feliks said, his voice small.

When he reached the door, Vlad extended his hand with the key, but before he could touch the door the American pounded on the door again, making Vlad jump in surprise. He took a deep breath, before unlocking and opening the door, enough to reveal his face but not enough for the other to see inside.

Immediately, the grinning face of the American came into his vision, and his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What do you want?" Vlad asked.

"Dude, that's so rude," Alfred said. "I only want to talk. So, could you come out for a moment?"

Vlad's eyes narrowed further.

"Why should I?" he asked.

"'Cause I don't want to say anything in front of those other losers."

"They are _not_ 'losers'," Vlad said. "They're a lot better than you. You're just pathetic."

Alfred's eyes darkened, and before Vlad could close the door, the American's hand shot out, grabbing the other's hair. Vlad cried out in pain as the other dragged him outside.

"Vlad!" he heard one of the others shout.

He heard the door slam shut, and the key was wrenched out of his hands. The door was locked as Vlad tried to release the grip on his hair, and the Romanian cried out as the American dragged him over to the front lawn.

"You just made this worse for yourself," Alfred growled, throwing Vlad to the ground.

"What are you doing?" Vlad demanded, fear starting to creep on him.

He grunted when Alfred kicked him in the stomach, before the American's foot made contact with his head. Vlad curled up as the other continued kicking, and he only looked up when he heard the other walking away.

He then noticed the other students that seemed to have made it their life's mission to make _his_ a living hell. They each had what appeared to be a water balloon in their hands, with more at their feet. A _lot_ more.

Alfred walked over to another male before turning back, a smirk on his face.

"You should have stayed in Romania," the American said as he picked up a balloon.

…

"Hurry!" Matthew said.

"I'm trying," Lovino said. "The Hamburger Bastard kept the key in on the other side."

Lovino was crouched in front of the door, trying to pick the lock.

"What are they doing?" Matthew asked, looking towards Feliks who was looking outside.

"Water balloons," Feliks said. "They're…"

He gasped.

"There's something _red_ in those balloons!" Feliks exclaimed.

"Open the damn window!" Lovino shouted.

…

Vlad cried out with every balloon that made contact. There was some strange mixture in it that felt slimy, and when some of it landed in his mouth, he realised that there was raw egg, among other things. It was dyed red with food colouring, probably to make it look like blood. But that wasn't the worst part.

Inside each balloon, there was a rock. And as the balloons were thrown with force, the rocks pelted him.

He cried out when he was hit in the head, and he scrambled up, hoping to make it to the front door. He tried to ignore the balloons that hit his back and his legs, but whenever they hit the back of his head, he cringed, trying to protect that part of him.

He could see his friends trying to open the window, shouting for him to hurry up. As soon as he was close enough he dove for the window, the other three pulling him inside. He winced as the rocks hit the window, but he couldn't ponder on it more as it was shut behind him.

"Like, are you okay?" Feliks asked.

Tears were streaming down Vlad's face as he shook his head, and he winced when Matthew gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's get you cleaned up, alright?" Matthew said.

"Um, jerks, I think we have a problem," Lovino said.

"What do you…?"

The four jumped when the door was slammed open, and they turned to see the bullies, Elizaveta showing them the key.

"Forget something?" she taunted.

"Just leave us alone!" Vlad shouted.

"Yeah, haven't you done enough?!" Matthew shouted.

"Oh, we're just getting started," Alfred said.

…

"You went too far, Alfred!"

Alfred rolled his eyes. It was two hours later, and he had dragged his brother home after he and the others had wrecked the Romanian's house while the quartet had been locked inside the shower with Sadiq making sure that they didn't get out. The cold water tap had been turned on its highest, and the quartet couldn't do anything about it. It had been Francis's idea to tie their wrists with shoelaces.

"Please, grow up," Alfred said. "Learn to take a joke."

"A joke? A _joke_?! Alfred, that was cruel, and you know it."

"Whatever," Alfred said, going towards his room.

Matthew went towards his own room, and his eyes immediately landed on the mirror. He walked towards it, staring into the mirror.

He _hated_ sharing a face with Alfred. He didn't like it that the other treated his friends like dirt.

Out of pure frustration, Matthew punched the mirror.

…

Lovino was in front of the mirror as well, glaring at his reflection. Vlad shouldn't have answered the door. Lovino should have thought of the key earlier.

Once again, he was useless to protect anyone.

Out of anger and self-loathing, he punched the mirror.

…

Feliks was brushing his hair, glaring at his reflection. What they had done to his new friend… They needed to pay.

In a fit of anger, Feliks started to knock things over, his fist connecting with the mirror.

…

Vlad sat in front of the mirror, examining his bruises. His left cheek was swollen, and he had a split lip.

Why did they hate him? _Why_? He had done nothing wrong to them, so why did they treat him the way they did?

Tears filled his vision, and his gaze fell on his reflection. The red eyes and the long canines. He _hated_ them.

Letting out a cry of anguish, Vlad punched the mirror.

…

Four mirrors punched at the same time. Four boys, angry and hurt.

Four boys who had had _enough._

 **Okay, so this is the premise of the horror part. This is the moment in a horror story where the horrifying events start happening, though they might not be noticeable at first. Like the mirrors. That part will be very important later.**

 **The reason why Vlad opened the door was because he knew that if he** _ **didn't**_ **, then it would only be worse. He was trying to** _ **avoid**_ **unnecessary trouble, but that didn't happen.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Thanks to Kattie, Little Bird 8060, Mondmaedchen, Zaaze, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, ScandinavianTrash and an anon for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 4**

Vlad awoke with a groan. His head hurt, his body felt stiff, and there was a ringing in his ears.

What happened?

He opened his eyes and absentmindedly noticed that the ceiling he was staring at was not the one that he usually saw when he woke up.

He sat up, vaguely noticing that he wasn't in his bed, but next to his dresser, with the chair toppled at an awkward angle. There were glass shards _everywhere_ , and when he looked up, the mirror was completely broken from the frame.

He vaguely remembered punching the mirror, but what happened afterwards was a complete blur.

He forced himself to his feet, taking note of the fact that his body felt stiff, but not sore. Which was surprising, considering everything that had happened.

He looked over towards the alarm clock and groaned. The others would be there in about an hour to help him clean up.

He quickly grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom, hoping to take a shower. When he glanced into the bathroom's mirror he froze, and he quickly looked back, examining his reflection carefully.

There wasn't a single bruise anymore, no swelling, and his split lip was healed as well. While there were a few splotches of blood on his body, there were no wounds.

He wondered if his magic had kicked in and healed him, and because of the spontaneous spell, it had knocked him out. That was the only explanation he could come up with.

He shook his head, before deciding that the shower was more important. He could ponder the situation under the stream of water.

And he could use the time to think of an explanation for his friends.

…

Feliks had to go to another mirror in his house, because the one in his dresser had been broken. He must have _really_ been angry the previous night.

And with good reason, too. How _dare_ they do all of that to Vlad.

But he couldn't remember what happened after his fit. He just knew that he woke up on the floor, glass shards surrounding him, and an hour to get ready before he had to go and help Vlad.

That was _so_ not enough time for him.

In his haste, he didn't take what he would usually have worn, a white skirt with a pink shirt, the shirt frilly and laced with sequins, but a black layered skirt with a sophisticated red shirt.

Feliks didn't think twice about it, merely getting dressed. Being fabulous was not in the forefront of his mind.

He just absentmindedly took what he felt like, instead of taking what he would think looked good. If he had paid attention, he would have realised that it was different from his usual approach when it came to clothes.

…

Matthew carefully picked up the mirror shards before throwing them in a plastic bag.

He didn't understand how he had fallen asleep on the ground like that, least of all with shards of broken mirror surrounding him. He wondered if Alfred had anything to do with that.

His expression darkened at the thought of his brother, and if he had been looking into a mirror, he would have seen his eyes flash red for a brief moment.

…

Lovino grumbled as he threw the mirror shards in the trashcan. He was stiff, and he was grumpy, and surprised that he didn't have any cuts from the glass.

And he was going to go to help his friend out with cleaning his house.

He hated those bastards more than anything, and he wished that there was a way for them to get exactly what was coming to them. But unfortunately, Lovino was too cowardly to do that. And they were outnumbered.

He couldn't help but feel that it was his fault for ruining someone else's life. If Vlad hadn't befriended them, _maybe_ that wouldn't have happened to him.

He and Matthew were the first, and Matthew's brother started being cruel towards him afterwards, so Lovino couldn't help but think that he was the one that had ruined Matthew's life, followed by Feliks and now Vlad.

But if he could, he would find a way to ruin those other bastards' lives.

…

"Thanks for helping me again," Vlad said.

The four of them were washing the red concoction off the outside walls. They would work on the interior next.

"It's really not a problem," Matthew said, smiling. "And it's the least I could do after Alfred…"

"Like, that guy's a total skurwysyn," Feliks said.

Vlad looked over towards him, and Lovino looked as though he was about to fall over.

"I had no idea you were capable of language like that, Pink Jerk," the Italian said.

Feliks shrugged, turning his attention back to the stain he was working on.

"How do _you_ know what he just said?" Vlad asked.

"I find that insulting bastards in their own languages is incredibly soothing," Lovino said, shrugging. "I also wanted to know what my friends would use to swear."

"He even learned the Quebecois swears," Matthew muttered, rolling his eyes. "You know, Lovino, sometimes I'm glad you're my friend. I'd hate to have you as an enemy."

"Tak," Feliks said. "Some of the things you'd do are downright vicious, and I think some of them are illegal."

"Che, I have family in the mafia," Lovino said. "What did you expect?"

"Are you serious about that?" Vlad asked.

"Oui," Matthew said. "His uncles are very high up. Actually, I think his uncle Luciano is the don of his famiglia."

"Then why don't you use that piece of influence to scare the bullies off?" Vlad asked.

"Because my idiot of a brother went and blabbed that our uncles wouldn't help us, family or not," Lovino said. "Thanks to Feliciano, those bastards know that any mafia-related threat I could make would be empty."

Vlad nodded his head in understanding.

"Like, now we can't go shopping," Feliks pouted. "Ooh, unless we could go tomorrow. Lovino?"

"Fine," Lovino sighed, and Matthew looked over towards him in shock. "I'll just make sure that Feliciano doesn't tell nonno, or I might be in trouble."

Upon seeing Vlad's confused expression, Matthew smiled a little.

"Lovino's the only one of us that is particularly religious," Matthew explained. "Him and his whole family. His grandpa is particularly strict when it comes to doing anything on a Sunday."

Vlad nodded in understanding, and the four worked to clean his house.

…

The four had decided to go to Lovino's grandpa's restaurant, since the bullies had also raided the Romanian's food stocks, leaving very little for them to eat for lunch.

After ordering their food the four sat in silence, too tired to make small talk.

"Look who we have here," a familiar voice sneered, and the four immediately tensed.

They turned to see Mathias, along with two other people, one of them being Lukas.

"Leave us alone, Viking Bastard," Lovino grumbled.

Mathias smirked, before turning his attention to Vlad, a look of confusion on his face.

"Shouldn't you be black and blue?" the Dane questioned.

"Idiot," Lukas said, taking hold of the Dane's long hair and pulling him away, nodding to Vlad as they passed, the last person of the trio ignoring the four.

"What was that about?" Matthew asked. "Lukas isn't usually _that_ aggressive towards Mathias. At least not in public."

"Like, if I didn't know any better, it was like he was totally defending us," Feliks said. "But why?"

"I think it might be because we're in the magic club together," Vlad said.

"That _might_ explain it," Lovino mumbled. "Please don't let my nonno hear that, by the way."

"But Mathias has a point," Matthew said. "It _is_ weird that you don't have any bruises from yesterday."

Vlad shrugged his shoulders.

"Like, does that mean that your magic actually _works_?" Feliks asked, eyes sparkling.

"Not so loud, jerk," Lovino hissed. "But does it?"

"I don't know what to tell you," Vlad sighed. "And no, I can't use it to get back at the bullies. It's dangerous to use magic for malicious purposes. It's too risky."

The other three slumped, looking dejected.

"Probably not real anyway," Lovino muttered.

"Like, there has to be a way to get back at them," Feliks said.

"Don't bother," Matthew said. "We don't want to fall to their level, do we?"

The other three looked like they were seriously considering it, and Matthew sighed.

Truthfully, he had considered it a few times as well.

And of course, none of them noticed the lights flicker for a moment, or the shadow that seemed to pass right by them.

…

Lukas observed the four from his own seat, a thoughtful frown on his face. There was something different about the four, and Lukas couldn't help but think about it as suspicious.

"Mathias," Lukas said, turning to his Danish cousin, "what exactly did you do to them?"

"I don't know what you mean," Mathias said, shrugging.

Lukas gave him a cold glare, and the Dane shuddered a little.

"Alright," Mathias said. "We might have paid them a little visit yesterday."

"What did you do?" Lukas asked.

"Look, it was a joke…"

"Mathias…"

"Look, why are you so worried about them, anyway?"

"Because I've seen you hurt them enough times. If I find out you've crossed the line…"

"And what line would _that_ be?"

Lukas narrowed his eyes.

"I'm sure you could use your imagination to figure it out," Lukas said. "Mathias, I'm watching you."

"Why do you care about those losers, anyway?"

"Because I, unlike you, apparently, am human."

…

That night, Vlad couldn't help but smile. He was glad that the friends that he had made were as kind as they were. Frankly, he wouldn't trade the three of them for the world. Even though they had known each other for only a short while, they had proven to be worth more than gold.

He felt bad that the three of them had to suffer as well, but they had simply stated that they were used to it. But he could tell that they were tired of it as well.

He quickly typed an email to his parents, telling them about his new friends, but staying quiet about the bullies. There was no need to concern them with something so trivial.

He would… he would find a way around it, he was sure of it.

He smiled again when he thought of his friends. After they had had their lunch, they had helped him with grocery shopping, before helping to finish the house.

Luckily, those bullies didn't break anything, probably because even they could comprehend that it would be illegal.

When he entered his bedroom, he couldn't help but to look at his dresser, where his mirror had been. He still couldn't quite remember what had happened the previous night.

He sighed, making a mental note to add a mirror to the list of things he needed. Feliks insisted on them going shopping to get decorations for his home. And he couldn't complain, since it _was_ a little boring.

He shook his head, before getting pyjamas and getting dressed. He was oblivious of the light flickering above him, and he had no knowledge of the streetlight right outside his house dying.

…

"Why do you hang out with them, anyway?" Alfred demanded.

Matthew sat up on the bed, having lied down and read a book.

"Because," Matthew said, "thanks to you, they're the only friends I was able to make. And they're a lot better than anyone else at school. Especially _you_."

Alfred narrowed his eyes, and he stalked closer to Matthew.

"You're supposed to be alone," Alfred said. "You know, if you leave them, me and my friends will leave them alone."

Matthew scoffed at that.

"Yeah right, Al," Matthew said. "We both know that you enjoy making _all_ of our lives miserable. I don't care if you do that to me, but leave my friends out of this. I mean, that's nothing new."

Alfred's gaze darkened.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" he demanded.

Matthew, recognising that he had entered dangerous waters, attempted to brush past his brother and out of the room, but Alfred grabbed onto his arm.

"What did you mean?" Alfred repeated.

Matthew ripped his arm out of the other's grip, and attempted to make his way to the stairs, but at the top step Alfred caught his arm again, this time with a tighter grip.

"Fine!" Matthew snapped. "Ever since we were young, you made my life miserable! Remember your superhero phase? How you would always say that you would be the greatest hero that ever lived? Well, you screwed up. You're nothing but the villain, Alfred."

Alfred's face twisted in rage, and in his rage, he pushed Matthew, and the Canadian yelped as he tumbled down the stairs.

"I miss when Mom and Dad were still divorced," Alfred said, as Matthew came to a stop, his body in pain. "Then I didn't have to put up with _you_ every day. You're pathetic Mattie. You are supposed to be alone."

Alfred stalked off, leaving Matthew at the bottom of the stairs.

Matthew groaned as everything went black.

…

Matthew stood calmly. He first stood on his left foot, dangling the other in the air. He twisted the right ankle a few times, until it was no longer sprained. He then placed the foot down, applying equal weight to both feet.

He then grabbed his broken wrist, twisting it a few times as well, until it was no longer broken.

Afterwards, he placed his hand against the back of his head, feeling the wet and sticky substance. He focused on the tender spot, until it was no longer tender.

He then turned his blood red eyes on the bit of blood that was located where his head had been, and watched as the blood disappeared. He then calmly walked up the stairs, passing Alfred's room. He went to the bathroom, and without touching the tap, the water went on.

He calmly washed the blood off of him, clothes and all, before the water flow stopped, and he went to his room. With a sweep of his hand, his old clothes were exchanged with pyjamas, and he plopped down on the bed, before surrendering to blackness once again.

…

Vlad was waiting patiently the next morning. Apparently, Lovino had a car and they would use that to go to the mall for their shopping trip.

He raised an eyebrow when he saw the red sports car, not sure if he should believe what he was seeing, but when it stopped in his driveway, he couldn't help but think that this _might_ be it.

And he had to admit so when Feliks stuck his head out of the passenger side window.

"Like, come on," Feliks called out, and Vlad hesitantly went to sit in the backseat.

Matthew was already there, and he smiled softly at Vlad. The Romanian couldn't help but feel that there was something different about his Canadian friend.

"What's with this car?" Vlad asked, looking towards Lovino.

"My uncles won't help us out," Lovino said, already backing out of the driveway. "Doesn't mean they won't give a sweet gift for our birthdays."

"I thought you and your brother were twins, or did I get that wrong?" Vlad asked.

"Lovino and Feliciano are twins, and then they have a younger brother, Marcello," Matthew explained.

"Why don't you ever talk about him?"

"I don't really have a reason to complain about him," Lovino calmly stated.

Vlad rolled his eyes, before a thought occurred to him.

"Wait, I thought your grandpa wasn't supposed to know about today," Vlad said.

"As long as he doesn't know _where_ I'm going, I'm fine," Lovino said.

Vlad shook his head, chuckling. He could see that the Italian was most certainly the one that would get the most in trouble between his friends.

…

"You guys don't have to help me," Vlad said.

"Nonsense," Matthew said. "What are friends for?"

Vlad smiled, and he put his supplies down, the others doing the same. They had settled on a colour scheme of red, blue, purple and black. For some strange reason, Feliks was the one that insisted on the red and black, and none of them really wanted to argue.

Fortunately, the living room set was already black, and they got to work, putting purple pillows on the furniture, a red tablecloth on the coffee table, and a blue rug to fill the room.

They couldn't really do anything about the white walls (they would need the school's permission to paint it or apply wallpaper), but they _could_ put up as many posters as they wanted. They had settled for fantasy-themed, and Vlad especially liked the fairy tale themed posters. Of course, they weren't the kiddie versions, but darker versions, and the Romanian enjoyed them immensely.

The quartet spent the rest of the day decorating the house, unaware of the occasional flicker in each other's eyes, or the fact that whenever one would pass a mirror, a shadow would follow them.

…

Vlad sighed happily, snuggling into the new sheets.

His friends had left a while ago, but his house had been decorated, and so they had accomplished what they had intended to do.

He was of course worried about the bullies, and at the thought of returning to school the next day he groaned. Going to school meant to face them, and that he would be attacked by them yet again.

Vlad didn't notice the light flicker for a brief moment, or a shadow that crossed his face. He also was unaware of his eyes briefly flickering to a different shade of red.

He sighed before he started getting ready for bed. If he would have to deal with them, then he would need to be ready for anything they would do to him.

And from what he had seen, the things they would do to him would be cruel.


	6. Chapter 5

**Thanks to Zaaze, Idunno, Kattie, Mondmaedchen, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Iroyuki, ScandinavianTrash and two anons for reviewing.**

 **There's a bit of a trigger warning here, and I think something some of you would've wanted by now.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 5**

Vlad arrived early to class on Monday morning. He was worried about seeing any of the bullies, but according to the others, they _never_ arrived early.

Well, first time for everything.

"Looks like the vampire came early," a voice sneered.

Vlad snapped his head up to see Sadiq standing in the doorway, grinning maliciously. He was playing with something behind his back, and Vlad couldn't see what it was.

"Leave me alone," Vlad said, turning to his bag.

He shouldn't have removed his eyes from the Turk, because the other was suddenly right in front of him, a hand buried in his hair. Vlad yelped as he was pulled to his feet.

"You know, I spoke to Mathias yesterday," Sadiq said. "He mentioned that somehow, you don't _look_ like we beat you up. A little disappointing, actually. Now I'm wondering if you _actually_ are a vampire."

"Don't be ridiculous," Vlad said, trying to pull free.

"You wouldn't mind helping me with a little experiment, would you?" Sadiq sneered, revealing the object he had hidden behind his back.

Vlad stopped struggling when he saw the pocketknife, and Sadiq laughed at his nervousness.

Sadiq flicked the knife open, moving it to the back of Vlad's neck. He moved the hair aside using the knife, and Vlad closed his eyes, waiting for the pain. He was trembling in fear.

He jerked when the knife pierced him, but he couldn't move away with the hand in his hair. Sadiq pressed harder, and the Romanian hissed in pain. He didn't know how deep or how long the cut was, just that it was bleeding.

"There," Sadiq said. "All finished, you big baby. Oh, and you'll be smart not to tell any of the teachers. If you _do_ …"

He moved the knife to press against Vlad's throat, and the Romanian got the message loud and clear.

Sadiq released him and laughed when Vlad slumped to the ground, his legs shaky. Vlad moved as quickly as he could do his seat, trembling slightly.

It didn't help when Matthew arrived.

His friend stared between Vlad and Sadiq, knowing that nothing good could have come from the two being alone with each other. And he was right, seeing the Romanian's trembling form and the Turk's grin.

Matthew immediately went to Vlad, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. Almost in a daze, Vlad raised his fingers to the cut on the back of his neck, feeling the sting. He removed his fingers and wasn't too surprised to see blood.

Matthew saw it, and he was surprised at first before turning angry eyes towards Sadiq.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" Matthew demanded.

"It's just a little experiment," Sadiq said, laughing at the Canadian's angered expression, turning his back on the smaller male.

With his back turned, Sadiq didn't see Matthew's eyes flash red for a brief moment, and Vlad was looking down, avoiding everyone's eyes.

"Come on," Matthew said, helping Vlad to his feet. "Let's go get it cleaned up."

The two went to the bathroom, and Matthew helped Vlad wash away the blood, making it stop bleeding in the process.

"We should tell a teacher," Matthew said. "They can't argue with this wound."

"Nu," Vlad said, shaking his head. "He already threatened me not to tell. If I do, he said he'd cut the other side of the neck."

"But… that could count as attempted murder. They won't…"

"Matthew, after everything I'd seen them do, I wouldn't put it past them. I don't think the thought of murder would scare any of them."

Matthew was silent, knowing that he was most likely right. Neither of them noticed the lights flickering.

…

"That asshole!" Lovino shouted.

It was lunchtime, and Matthew had informed him and Feliks about what had happened to Vlad that morning. Vlad's eyes remained downcast, and he pushed around the food on his plate.

"Like, he can't get away with this," Feliks said.

"It's no use," Vlad said. "He threatened my life. And I wouldn't put murder past them. I should have stayed in Romania."

"Don't be like that," Lovino said. "You're making those bastards win. And if one of them _do_ go there, then we'll make sure that they won't get away with it. Capishe?"

Vlad sighed, but gave a small smile. He knew that he could count on them.

"Like, totally," Feliks said, before he stood. "Now, I like need to go to the bathroom. See you guys later."

"Whatever," Lovino said, waving the Pole off.

…

Feliks was just washing his hands when someone else entered the bathroom. Feliks froze when he saw Allen, looking at him with a dark expression.

"Like, what do you want?" Feliks asked, in an effort to make himself small.

"There's no one around," Allen said, stepping closer. "None of your little buddies here to stop me."

It happened a lot when Feliks was alone and Allen happened across him. The American would molest him, just for the sake of humiliating him. He hadn't even told his friends about the things that the American would do to him.

Feliks yelped when Allen pinned him against the sinks, trembling in fear. He clenched his eyes closed when he felt the other's hand creeping up his skirt, and he was unaware of blacking out.

…

Allen chuckled as he felt Feliks go slack. He enjoyed messing with the Polish boy. And he wouldn't _dare_ tell anyone about what Allen did to him. He was asking for it, after all.

Allen let out a startled yelp when he was suddenly thrown back against the stalls. He growled, trying to force his way back to his feet when he paused, eyes wide.

He could see Feliks's reflection, but it wasn't Feliks. It looked like… a monster.

Feliks turned to face him, and Allen could feel his blood run cold. Feliks's face was emotionless – a mask that Kyo's brother Kiku could only wish to master. But his eyes… his eyes were blood red, and the American could swear that they were glowing.

But then the mask broke, replaced by a horrible, sadistic and insane grin that made the American tremble at the sight. He knew that he wasn't looking at Feliks anymore but something… evil.

He tried to force himself to his feet in order to run away, but Feliks lifted his hand, almost looking as though he had his hand wrapped around a neck. And Allen could feel it, constricting his air as he was lifted higher, until his feet couldn't touch the ground. He stared at Feliks with absolute fear.

"You. Will _never_. Touch me. _Again_."

And Feliks twisted his hand, Allen's neck following suit. The small scream of pain died in his throat as his neck was snapped, twisted until his eyes were staring at the door of the stall behind him.

And then he was dropped to his knees, and he landed with his body facing downward and his face upward, his final expression of fear and agony frozen on his face.

The overhead lights exploded, and each of the mirrors shattered. The Pole didn't move.

Finally when there was no more to be done Feliks left the bathroom, his body language not betraying anything about what just happened.

…

Vlad, Matthew and Lovino were on their way to find Feliks. They had seen Allen leaving after Feliks had, and they felt that Feliks was taking long, even for Feliks. So they decided to see if he was alright.

They spotted him coming out of the bathroom, head bowed. He walked towards them without looking up.

"Hey, Pink Jerk," Lovino said. "What's up with you?"

Feliks stopped about two metres away from them, swaying slightly. He lifted his head and they gasped, seeing the dull green eyes. Those eyes rolled back, and Vlad was the first to react, rushing forward and catching the blond before he could fall. He held onto the passed-out blond, eyes wide with confusion.

"We need to take him to the nurse," Vlad said.

The other two nodded, coming closer.

"Lift him on my back," Matthew said. "It's easier for me to carry him."

Vlad and Lovino nodded, doing as Matthew suggested. Once the Canadian was sure that Feliks was secure on his back, he started walking, Lovino trailing behind.

"I'll catch up," Vlad said. "I'm just going to make sure that he didn't forget anything in there."

The other two nodded, and Vlad walked into the bathroom…

And froze.

He could see Allen lying there, face… up on the ground, eyes staring wide. There were glass shards from the light fixtures everywhere, and the mirrors were shattered.

Vlad felt a wave of dizziness, and he shook his head to clear it. He absently went to scratch the wound on his neck, and he closed the door. Feliks didn't forget anything.

And if someone decided to ask Vlad if he had been in the bathroom, he wouldn't remember ever opening the door that day.

…

Alfred ran towards the bathroom, feeling the effects of the five shakes he had had. He _really_ needed to take care of it.

And as he opened the door, he saw something that made him not need to use the bathroom anymore.

He would deny that he had screamed like a little girl, or wet his pants like a baby. But there were too many witnesses, though they all forgot about it once they saw the corpse, his neck twisted and his expression frozen with pain or fear.

…

"There now," Alice said. "He should be better in no time."

Feliks had regained consciousness, but he was still very dizzy and pale. He was given some sugar water to drink to get his blood sugar up, but he was only sipping the liquid, his eyes still hazy.

"Maybe we should take him home?" Matthew suggested.

"If he's still like that within the hour, _then_ you can take him," Alice said. "But until then…"

She paused when the intercom went on, and they all looked upwards.

"All personnel, please report to the boys' bathroom near the cafeteria. All students, please return to your classes."

"You four stay here," Alice said, going towards her desk. "I'll write you four a pass. Make sure he feels better."

"Alright," Matthew said.

After writing the passes she left the room, and the four friends were alone.

"Vampire Jerk," Lovino said, breaking the silence, "did you see anything strange when you went to the bathroom?"

Vlad frowned in confusion, but shook his head. Matthew sighed, looking at Feliks.

"What do you think is wrong with him?" Matthew asked.

"Don't know," Vlad said, looking at Feliks's dazed expression.

The three looked up when the door opened, and Arthur entered the room.

"My mother said you were in here," Arthur said. "Oh dear lord…"

"Arthur, what's happening?" Vlad asked.

Arthur swallowed nervously, before looking at Vlad.

"It's Allen James," Arthur said. "He… oh god."

"What is it?" Lovino asked impatiently.

"He was found in the bathroom… dead."

The room was silent for a moment. Feliks tilted his head to face Arthur.

"A-are you sure?" Matthew asked.

Arthur nodded.

"Alfred was the one that found him," Arthur said. "His head's been completely twisted around. Oh god, it's horrible."

"What's going to happen now?" Matthew asked.

"I don't know," Arthur said. "I-I'm going to class. You four just… stay here. Alright?"

They nodded, and Arthur left. There was silence for a good long moment.

"Good," Feliks said, startling the other three.

"What?" Lovino asked.

"Good," Feliks repeated, lifting his head. "Like, whoever killed him totally did us a favour."

"How can you say that?" Matthew asked. "Sure, he might not be the nicest person, but… he didn't deserve to die!"

"Matt," Feliks said, his voice firm. "Like, there's something I need to like tell you. Allen… He… The last thing I remember before waking up here, was… He was totally groping me."

"What?" Vlad asked, eyes wide.

"Like, he would do that a lot," Feliks said. "He said… Because I want to dress like a girl, I w-want to be t-touched l-like that t-too. He… molested me, a lot of times. And he was molesting me when I blacked out. S-so whoever killed him is totally my hero."

The other three were silent, before Matthew turned to Vlad.

"Are you sure that you didn't see _anything_ when you went in the bathroom?" Matthew asked.

"To be honest, I can't even remember going into the bathroom," Vlad said. "I think my mind blocked it, because I was worried about Feliks. And I think I would have remembered a body."

"You realised what's happening, right?" Lovino asked.

"Enlighten us," Vlad said.

"One of the bastards died. We have one less to worry about."

There was silence as the news sank in.

"Is it bad that I'm happy for that?" Matthew asked.

"Not at all," Vlad said. "And after what he did to Feliks… He deserved it."

None of them paid any mind to the flickering lights.

…

The teachers were all gathered outside the bathroom. The ambulance had been called to remove the body, and the police had been called to report the murder. The faculty didn't _dare_ go inside, afraid to mess with the crime scene.

"Who could have done this?" Katyusha asked.

"I don't know," Vash said. "Someone who's sick. And what's with the lights and mirrors?"

Alice looked into the room and immediately felt the hair at the back of her neck stand on end. She could sense it clearly – there had been something evil in that room. It was gone now, but its influence remained.

"Mum?" a voice asked, bringing her out of her stupor. "Are you okay?"

She turned to Alistair and shook her head.

"Can't you feel it?" she whispered.

Alistair frowned, looking into the room. His eyes widened and he slowly nodded his head.

"Aye," he whispered. "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know," she whispered back.

"This is bad," Vash said, speaking to everyone. "We might have an international situation on our hands."

"Stay calm," Berwald said. "For the students' sake, at least."

…

The news of the murder had spread like wildfire, with the main focus being Alfred, who had found the body. Alfred claimed that had he arrived just a minute or two sooner he would have stopped the murder from ever happening. And many people believed him.

When Alice returned to her office she found Feliks feeling a lot better, but had him staying for a few more minutes, just in case.

And now they were in Gym, their last class of the day.

Feliks was sitting on the bleachers, having a note that excused him from the exercise that day: running. He was sipping a bottle of water to keep himself hydrated, Mr Zwingli agreeing that the sun wouldn't be good for him after he already had a fainting spell earlier that day.

"We'll be recording your running times," Mr Zwingli said.

Matthew sighed, before glaring towards Lovino, who had a smug grin on his face. Vlad noticed this and frowned.

"Care to explain?" Vlad asked.

"Lovino's one of the fastest kids in school," Matthew said. "Along with his brothers. They say when someone's running fast that they've reached Italian speeds."

"Si," Lovino said. "And we have stamina, too."

"And yes," Matthew sighed. "He means in _that_ way."

Vlad frowned in confusion, before his eyes widened in understanding, and he turned to see the smirk on Lovino's face.

"Lupei!" the teacher shouted, and Vlad jumped. "Since you're new and don't have a time yet, you're going first. Hope you've finished your stretches."

Vlad's eyes widened. He had completely neglected his stretches, and now it was too late. He glanced towards Matthew and Lovino. Matthew had an encouraging expression while Lovino's was indifferent, and he sighed, before going towards the starting line.

He got into position, thinking about how much he hated running. And then he saw the faces of the bullies, and he resolved to himself that he would not give them a reason to mock him. He would _not_ humiliate himself in this class, in front of _them_.

When the whistle blew, he launched himself forward, running to the best of his abilities. To his surprise, he found that he didn't feel tired after ten steps, which was a first for him, so he continued to push himself forward, increasing speed. He was surprised when he crossed the starting line again, expecting the lap to have lasted longer.

There was silence, and then Vlad heard a triumphant and impressed bark of laughter.

"Now _that_ is what I call running," Mr Zwingli said. "Impressive, Lupei, impressive."

Vlad turned his attention to his friends, and his eyes twinkled with laughter when he saw Lovino's surprised face and Matthew's gleeful one.

He started walking towards them when someone caught his arm. He looked to see Sadiq staring at him and he could almost feel his neck tingling.

And he realised that the cut from that morning didn't sting anymore.

"That was very good, vampire boy," Sadiq said, before he started to drag Vlad off.

"Let me go!" Vlad hissed, trying to pull free.

"Relax," Sadiq said. "You think I'm stupid enough to do something to you with a teacher around? I just want to see how my experiment is going."

Sadiq dragged him to the side, and Matthew and Lovino rushed over there as well.

"Let him go, you bastard," Lovino hissed.

"Shush," Sadiq said, before he grabbed Vlad's head with one hand and pushed his hair aside with the other. "I was right. You _are_ a vampire."

"Are you fucking stupid?" Lovino asked. "Of course he's not. He wouldn't be out in the sunlight if he were."

Sadiq ignored Lovino and turned his gaze to Matthew.

"You saw," Sadiq said. "Tell me I'm wrong."

Matthew frowned, before walking closer.

"Mon dieu!" Matthew whispered.

"What… whoa," Lovino said.

The cut that had been made to the back of Vlad's neck earlier that day had completely disappeared.


	7. Chapter 6

**Thanks to SweetHoneyBee, Kattie, Zaaze, Loki, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, ScandinavianTrash, Mondmaedchen, harrietamidala1691 and an anon for reviewing. And it's already 50 reviews. Wow.**

 **Diclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 6**

Vlad opened the door to the clubroom with shaky hands. They kept finding their way to the back of his neck, where there _should_ have been a cut but wasn't.

Once again Lukas was already there, and they were only missing Arthur. The Norwegian noticed his nervousness and arched an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with you?" Lukas asked, startling Vlad.

"I-it's nothing," Vlad said, chuckling nervously.

Lukas narrowed his eyes, but kept silent. Vlad was glad. He went over to their books, searching for something that would explain why his cut was healed without a conscious effort on his part. He kept bringing his fingers up to feel the spot, and Lukas noticed it.

"Is there something at the back of your neck?" the Norwegian asked, making the Romanian jump.

"It's nothing," Vlad said. "Seriously. There's _nothing_ there, even if there _should_ be something…"

He had started to mutter the last part, but Lukas heard nonetheless.

"Explain," Lukas said.

Vlad sighed, and had just opened his mouth when Arthur arrived.

"Sorry I'm late," Arthur said. "My mother wanted me to help her with something." He turned to Vlad. "Is your friend alright?"

"Da, he's better," Vlad said. "What about the guy that's dead?"

"He was a douche," Lukas said. "Especially to your friends. But you were about to tell me why you're so jumpy today."

Vlad turned to Arthur, who had his eyes trained on him as well, and sighed.

"I think I healed a wound without consciously thinking about it," Vlad said. "This morning, I was cut at the back of my neck, and during last period we found out that the cut had completely healed itself. But I wasn't thinking about healing it, because…"

"Someone did that to you," Lukas finished. "Who?"

Vlad looked down, avoiding the Norwegian's eyes. Arthur sighed.

"Are you sure it was a cut?" Arthur asked. "Maybe it was just…"

"There was blood," Vlad said. "Matthew helped clean it up. And he confirmed that the cut is gone. And it stung the first part of the day, but I didn't even notice it wasn't stinging after we found Feliks when he passed out."

"There's more to this, isn't there?" Lukas asked.

Vlad nodded his head.

"The others said I looked inside the bathroom after Feliks passed out, but I can't remember doing so," Vlad said. "And… It was the same bathroom… that…"

"That Allen was found in," Arthur finished. "Was it possible that it was around the same time?"

Vlad shrugged, and Lukas dug into a pouch he kept with him. He produced a rune, and Vlad knew what Lukas intended to do.

"Let's see if we can get your memory back," Lukas said, placing the rune on Vlad's forehead.

The Romanian gasped as a picture came to mind. He saw Allen lying on the floor, his body facing down but his face actually facing up. His neck had been completely twisted. He also saw the broken mirrors and light bulbs.

The image disappeared, and Vlad realised that he was panting, tears stinging his eyes.

"What did you see?" Arthur asked.

"The corpse," Vlad said. "He… he was…"

"His neck had been twisted completely, right?" Arthur asked, and Vlad nodded. "But what made you forget it?"

Lukas frowned, before he looked at Vlad directly.

"I need you to tell us what happened," Lukas said.

"Well," Vlad started to explain, "we had gone to find Feliks, and we saw him coming out of that bathroom. Then he fainted. I went in, and… That was it. Feliks only remembers Allen harassing him. He doesn't remember what came next."

Lukas and Arthur exchanged a glance.

"I think we should go back to that bathroom and check things out," Lukas said.

"Agreed," Arthur said. "Was Feliks the only one there?"

Vlad nodded his head.

"Well logically, he would be the first suspect. However, I myself had seen the body, and I highly doubt that the Pole would be able to do such a thing. Forgive me for saying this, but he's physically incapable of doing that."

"I have to agree on that one," Vlad said.

"Do you think that there was someone, or some _thing_ else there?" Lukas asked.

"Only one way to find out," Arthur said.

…

The three were standing just outside the bathroom, seeing that the school had called the police. They couldn't go nearer, but they didn't have to.

They could _feel_ it.

There had been something _evil_ in the room, but it was gone for the moment, though the traces remained. Something had been in the room with Allen and Feliks earlier that day, and it had killed Allen.

But why did it leave Feliks alone, with nothing other than a fainting spell and loss of memory?

They would have suspected that Feliks was possessed, had it not been for the fact that Vlad's memories were gone too.

They would need to wait until the police were gone before they tried to do anything else.

…

Lovino was waiting tables that day. He went to one of his usual tables when he froze.

The Bad Touch Trio.

He swallowed nervously and _tried_ not to scowl as he went to take their orders.

"What'll it be?" Lovino asked, pen and pad ready.

"Kesesese," Gilbert laughed. "What should we ask him to bring us?"

"Does it matter?" Francis asked. "He's going to mess things up anyway."

"Well," Antonio said, "I'll take the margarita pizza. And I want _real_ tomatoes."

"Ja," Gilbert said. "And I want sauerkraut."

"We don't have that here," Lovino said. "This is an _Italian_ restaurant. We don't serve any _German_ food."

"I guess _that's_ why this place is so unawesome," Gilbert said. "That, and the waiter. Okay, how about Italian cottage pie? Extra potato."

"And I will have lasagne," Francis said. "Do you understand, Lovino, or should we repeat that?"

"Margarita pizza with extra tomatoes, Italian cottage pie with extra potatoes, and lasagne," Lovino repeated. "Nothing to drink?"

"Nein, we're fine," Gilbert said.

Lovino narrowed his eyes in suspicion, but went to place their order anyway. Another order at one of his other tables was complete, so he took that.

In order to deliver that order, he had to pass by the table of the Bad Touch Trio, and he heard their snickering from a distance, but tried to ignore them.

He didn't notice the foot until it was too late, and he was sent crashing to the floor, the food covering his shirt and face.

It was silent for a moment, and then the entire restaurant started to laugh.

"Kesesese," Gilbert laughed. "Looks like _someone_ is a little clumsy."

Lovino glared at the albino, but he was forced to tear his gaze away when he saw a pair of feet in front of him. He swallowed, before he looked up at his grandfather.

"Can't you do _anything_ right?" the man asked. "Which table was that?"

"Table twelve," Lovino said.

"Tell the cooks to prepare the order again," Romulus said. "Honestly, do you have to ruin everything?"

Tears stung Lovino's eyes, and he heard the trio laughing at him. He saw his grandfather going to the aforementioned table, apologising for the ruined order and offering it for free. Lovino stood angrily and went towards the kitchen. The cook saw everything and sighed, giving Lovino an annoyed glare before making the food again.

Lovino knew that he needed to get away from everyone, so he went towards the staff bathroom.

Alone in the bathroom, leaning over a sink, Lovino started to cry. He hated those three, and he hated what they had reduced him to.

He stared into the mirror, and the light flickered for a moment. The eyes staring back at him were blood red.

The tears stopped. Lovino raised his hand, before moving down with it over his clothes, his hand a few centimetres away. The food disappeared, and it was as though the spill had never happened.

The light flickered again, and Lovino's eyes returned to normal. He only knew that he was clean, but didn't know how it happened, nor did he care. He was also pleased to see that there was no trace of him having cried just a moment ago.

With a dignified air he left the bathroom, unaware of the shadow lingering in the mirror.

…

The three of them were on their way back to their clubroom when Vlad stopped, his hand finding its way to his head. The other two stopped and stared at him.

"Is everything alright?" Arthur asked.

"Da," Vlad said. "Just a dizzy spell."

Lukas saw Vlad's eyes become foggy and moved quickly, catching the Romanian in time.

"'Just a dizzy spell'?" Lukas asked. "Arthur, he's burning up."

Arthur went closer and placed the back of his hand against the Romanian's forehead, before retreating said hand.

"I think our meeting is finished for today," Arthur said. "I'll call my mum to pick us up."

"Do you think you can make it to the clubroom?" Lukas asked, and Vlad nodded.

The three went together, Lukas and Arthur keeping close to Vlad, just in case they had to catch him again.

…

Matthew was sitting in his room, doing homework. Every now and again he would get distracted by thoughts of what happened to Allen, but to his surprise, he didn't feel bad about the American's death.

On the contrary, after hearing from Feliks about what the other did to him, he couldn't help but think that it was justice. That Allen deserved to die.

'They all deserve to die…'

He shook his head, frowning. Where did that thought come from?

He didn't notice as the light flickered, allowing his shadow to twist into a monstrous shape. But it was gone as soon as it came, so no one would have been able to see it.

He shook his head when he felt a wave of dizziness, and he quickly made his way to the bed before he could collapse at his desk.

…

Feliks was lying on his bed, trying to figure out what had happened earlier that day. He vaguely remembered being molested by Allen, before blacking out and waking up in the nurse's office.

But what had made him black out in the first place, and what happened while he had blacked out?

There was no way that _he_ could have killed the American, was there? After all, he didn't have the build for it. He was tiny compared to the American.

And that's what made him a target.

His eyes widened when he felt dizzy, and he was glad that he was lying down, but he couldn't help but wonder _why_ he even felt dizzy while lying on his bed.

He shook his head, deciding that he needed a nap. And after everything that had happened that day, he felt that he deserved it.

And as he drifted asleep, one thought managed to sneak its way into his consciousness.

'One down, and many more to go.'

…

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Alice asked.

Vlad smiled, nodding his head.

"I'll be fine," Vlad said. "It was just a dizzy spell."

"It's the fever I'm worried about," Alice said. "Get straight to bed, do you hear me? And if you're not feeling well tomorrow, call me and I'll make sure you're marked as sick, alright?"

"Da. But I think I'll be alright."

The nurse sighed.

"It's the students living alone that I'm worried about," she muttered, before she drove away.

Vlad smiled, grateful that she had dropped him off. He waved his goodbye, and Arthur and Lukas waved back.

He turned to his house, trying to see if anything was amiss, but he couldn't find anything. He couldn't help but be suspicious, especially after seeing the things the bullies would do.

He reached out to the back of his neck where the cut was supposed to be, but like before, it was gone. He still couldn't understand it. Did he subconsciously use magic?

And if so, what else had he done subconsciously?

He still couldn't get the murder out of his head, and it scared him. The murder itself wasn't what scared him, but the fact that he felt _happy_ about the murder. He knew that the American had deserved it.

It was the _happiness_ that scared him.

Vlad walked into his house and immediately went to his bedroom. He took the nurse's advice and immediately climbed into bed, falling asleep quickly.

He didn't notice as the wind started to howl.

…

Vlad was abruptly woken by the sound of glass breaking. It took him a moment to realise what had happened, but when his mind caught up his eyes widened, and he launched himself out of the bed.

He found the source of the sound at the front door. The window next to it was broken, and glass was everywhere. In the middle of it all was a rock.

He went towards the rock, seeing something red on it. He picked it up to see a single word written in a red sharpie.

 _Demon._

He had his thoughts about who it might have been, and his hand curled around the rock painfully in anger. This was another act of vandalism. They _shouldn't_ be able to get away with it.

But they kept letting them.

It was a simple fact. Neither Vlad nor his friends could report the bullies. The truth was, they were afraid of what would happen. But none of them wanted the bullies to get away with what they were doing.

 _Then kill them_.

Vlad jumped to his feet, dropping the rock. He didn't know where that voice had come from, and he searched around for its source.

"H-hello?" Vlad called out.

 _Kill them,_ the voice repeated. _One of them has already died. He deserved it. So do the others._

"N-no…" Vlad whimpered, realising that the voice came from inside his head. "I d-didn't…"

 _Of course you didn't. Feliks did. And he'll do it again. You'll all do it. You'll do it until none of them are left._

"Get out of my…" Vlad whispered.

 _They will all_ die _._

Vlad's vision started to get foggy, and he fought to remain in control. The lights flickered overhead, even though he never turned them on. His hands were buried in his hair, trying to drive out the voice.

His last conscious thought was him wondering how he managed to read the word on the rock with it already being past nightfall.

…

Vlad's hands dropped to his side. He stared at the rock at his feet, flung through his window so cruelly. He knelt down to pick it up…

And crushed it in his hand.

He smirked. It had only just begun, and already he was strong. Feliks was strong as well, having killed Allen so easily and cruelly.

He wished he could have been there to see it.

He waved his hand, and the dust from the crushed rock disappeared. He then turned his attention to the broken window. He waved his hand again, and the pieces of glass flew back, at first looking like a jigsaw puzzle before smoothing out, resembling what it had been before.

There would be no evidence of what had happened.

Vlad made his way back to his bedroom, but before he reached it he paused at a hallway mirror. He turned to face the reflection.

'Not yet.'

He wasn't ready yet. There was still a ways to go before Vlad would _willingly_ kill someone. It would need a lot of pushing and prodding.

But that wouldn't be too difficult. Those fools would do it for him.

For _all_ of them.

He had felt it. Earlier that day, the fourth one had slipped into his dark half. And the more often it happened, the easier it became.

It would especially be easier if all of them had blood staining their hands.

He frowned. He was supposed to be Blood, though his hands were still clean. He would need to fix that at the first opportunity that presented itself.

But for now, he needed to return to bed. Patience was key. And his patience would be most rewarding.

…

Feliks lied on his bed, his mind whirling. Why couldn't he remember what happened earlier that day?

He could clearly remember Allen molesting him in the bathroom, and then he woke up in the nurse's office. What happened between those times?

He hoped that someone else had entered the bathroom, saw what was happening to him, and came to his rescue. He hoped that someone else had been there.

Of course there had to be. There was no way that _he_ could kill someone as big as Allen.

Right?

He jumped when his phone vibrated, and he immediately grabbed the phone to read the message. He was surprised to see that it came from the school board.

 _No school tomorrow due to the police investigation of the murder of Allen James._

Feliks frowned. The murder had been justice. Allen deserved it.

He put the phone down, opting to stare back at the ceiling.

…

Vlad awoke the next morning, seeing his phone flash. He grabbed it, seeing that he had a message from the school.

He was pleased to learn that they wouldn't be having any classes that day, since he didn't really have a chance to do his homework.

He supposed that he had to be more careful. It wouldn't do to get sick in his second week of school.

He went over to the kitchen, but as he passed the front door he paused, looking at the window next to it.

For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. That something had happened regarding the window, but he just couldn't think about what it might have been. He also couldn't help but picture the sound of glass breaking.

But the window was intact. Perhaps it had been a dream or something?

Vlad shrugged, before going to fix himself some breakfast.


	8. Chapter 7

**Thanks to Olivia Kirkland, Kattie, Zaaze, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Evettege, ScandinavianTrash, RandomObsessions123 and two anons for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 7**

Vlad was working on his Maths homework when his phone rang. He glanced towards the device before grabbing it. He smiled when he saw that it was Feliks's number.

"What's up?" Vlad said by way of greeting. "How are you feeling?"

"Like, never better," Feliks said. "Like, I was wondering if you want to join us at the mall. I already called Mattie and Lovi, and they're all for it."

Vlad hesitated. They had the day off because the police were investigating the murder of one of their classmates. Feliks was the last person that saw him alive, and Vlad had seen him after he had died. But neither of them knew what happened between the two instances.

"Like, are you still there?" Feliks asked, shaking Vlad from his thoughts.

"Da," Vlad said. "Just thinking. Sure, I'll come."

"Yay! Like, I totally think we all need this. We'll come get you in like ten minutes."

Vlad was slightly alarmed at the short notice.

"Okay," he said, already standing from his desk. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Like, we'll see you soon."

Vlad hung up the phone and got ready, though he couldn't help but wonder how Feliks could want to go to the mall after everything that's happened with Allen. If Vlad was the last person to see someone alive, he'd be worried and torn. Even if it _was_ a bully.

Then again, it might be Feliks's means of therapy. Vlad was still new and didn't know the others so well yet. For all he knew, it could be Feliks's way to handle the stress.

And if that was the case, then Vlad would assist in any way he could.

…

As promised, the others arrived ten minutes later. Vlad slid into the backseat next to Matthew before Lovino drove off. Vlad flashed a small smile towards Matthew, which the other returned equally.

Looking at Lovino and Matthew, Vlad could see that they were also stressed about something, and Vlad wondered if something happened. But he supposed that he had no room to speak, since he himself had things to worry about, like the revelation the magic club had the previous day.

The ride to the mall was eerily quiet, and Vlad knew that it _was_ a stress reliever trip. He didn't want to be the one to break the silence, even if it weighed heavier than anything he had ever felt before.

When they arrived at the mall, they immediately saw that they weren't the only students that had thought to go there on their impromptu day off.

"Looks like we're not the only ones that thought to come here," Matthew observed.

"Like, it doesn't matter," Feliks said. "Now it just feels like a Saturday."

"True," Vlad muttered as they got out of the car.

"Alright, Pink Jerk," Lovino said. "Where should we go first?"

"Like, why don't we go to the bookstore first?" Feliks suggested, looking towards Matthew.

Matthew beamed in delight.

"Thank you, Feliks," Matthew said.

Lovino shrugged, and Vlad felt excited as well. The quartet made their way to the mall's entrance before adjusting their course for the bookstore.

The bookstore was _huge_. Since they had to cater to students from all around the world, there were books available in many different languages. Some of them were exclusive to certain languages, while the more popular books have been translated into many different languages. And if you couldn't find a specific book, regardless of language, then you could simply order the book in whichever language and they would call you as soon as they received it.

Vlad gawked at the shelves, having never been to the store before and never having seen so many books outside of a library before. The books still smelt new, which in a way was better than the old book smell because, by taking the book and making it your own, your scent was the only one to linger on the book and thus you became a part of the book. It was the scent of books that still waited for someone to take them home.

"So," Lovino said, observing Vlad as he went from shelf to shelf, "why did you suggest to go to the bookstore first?"

"Like, if I'm going to drag you guys to the mall with me, I totally need to make it worth your time," Feliks explained. "And it totally looks like Vlad is a bookworm, just like Mattie."

"I get Matteo," Lovino said. "I mean, he's quiet. But… I somehow pictured Vlad to have a different hobby."

"Like you?"

Lovino blushed at the comment.

"S-shut up," Lovino said.

"What? It's not that bad."

"Jerk, if you don't shut up…"

"Okay," Feliks said, raising his hands in surrender.

Matthew was browsing the shelves, while Vlad was pretty much exploring them. Several times Matthew paused to look at Vlad, chuckling at the other's excitement.

Vlad seemed to realise how he must have looked and he stopped, looking over towards Matthew with slightly red cheeks.

"S-sorry," Vlad stammered.

"It's okay," Matthew said. "I was like that the first time I saw this place too."

Vlad gave a small smile, before going towards the Romanian section. Lovino and Feliks walked up to Matthew.

"Aw," Feliks whined. "Like, he looked so cute. Why'd he have to stop?"

"Jerk, you sounded so gay right now," Lovino said.

Neither Matthew nor Lovino noticed Feliks's eyes darken.

"Like, that's what that bastard used to tell me," Feliks muttered darkly. "That I'm obviously gay, so he could… could…"

Matthew and Lovino exchanged a look before Matthew threw his arm around Feliks. Feliks's breath hitched, before he clung to Matthew.

"What's going on?" Vlad asked, coming closer.

"We're talking about the Veggie Bastard," Lovino said. "How he tried to justify what he did to Feliks."

Vlad scowled, before he turned his attention to Feliks.

"He can't hurt you anymore," Vlad said. "And if anyone deserved to die, it's him."

Feliks nodded.

"You should have told us," Matthew muttered. "We could have helped."

"…You…" Feliks sniffed. "You don't think… _I_ did it… do you?"

"No," Vlad said. "For one thing, you don't have the strength to do what's been done to him."

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked.

"I… I saw the corpse."

"What?" Lovino asked. "When?"

"After Feliks fainted," Vlad said. "There… There was something supernatural there. Something _evil_. It blocked my memory, at least until Arthur and Lukas helped me out."

The other three stared at Vlad blankly.

"Are you expecting us to believe that?" Lovino asked.

"Vlad," Matthew said, "are you trying to tell us that magic _is_ real?"

Vlad sighed.

"Da," Vlad said. "It's real. And I know that you don't believe me. But, Matthew, you saw the cut yesterday, didn't you?"

Matthew averted his eyes, frowning slightly. He then pulled away from Feliks and went towards Vlad. Vlad remained still as Matthew moved his hair away, looking at the back of his neck.

"I can't explain that," Matthew said at last. "Because that cut wasn't particularly shallow. It wouldn't disappear after only a day."

Lovino sighed.

"I don't think we should talk about something like that in here," Lovino said. "We might attract unwanted attention."

The other three nodded, and Vlad gestured to the books in his arms.

"I'll just go pay for these," Vlad said.

"Oh!" Matthew explained. "Wait! Let me get something too."

Lovino and Feliks snickered.

…

A few hours later found all four of them in the food court, sitting on a bench and looking around, trying to find a place where they could eat.

"What about Italian?" Vlad asked, looking at Lovino.

"No," Lovino said. "I had enough of Italian food. _Eating_ it is one thing. Having to _serve_ it… Especially to a group of bastards that want to ruin you."

Matthew and Vlad exchanged a look while Feliks narrowed his eyes.

"Lovi…" Matthew said. "Did something happen?"

Lovino sighed before he nodded.

"Si," he said. "The Bad Touch Assholes came to the restaurant yesterday. I was on my way to another table, but they tripped me, and… _everything_ got on me. And worse, my nonno saw it and blamed _me._ H-he even asked m-me why I had to r-ruin everything."

Feliks hugged Lovino, and the Italian sighed.

"I'm fine," Lovino said. "But I'm not in the mood for Italian."

"I understand," Matthew said. "Anything you two would like?"

The question had been directed at Feliks and Vlad. The two Eastern Europeans exchanged a look before each shaking their heads.

"Then what about Mexican?" Matthew asked. "How are you with spice?"

"Not _too_ fond of it," Vlad admitted. "But… I'd be willing to go there. What about you, Feliks?"

"Like, bring it on," Feliks said, smirking.

Having decided on a place, the four made their way to the nearest Mexican restaurant.

…

"Like, _that_ is spicy," Feliks remarked, pointing towards another table.

Whatever it was the Indian sitting over there was eating, it was so spicy that the people at the surrounding tables experienced their eyes starting to water. The Indian, who Matthew identified as a schoolmate by the name of Raj, was calmly eating his food, oblivious to the distress of the surrounding patrons.

"He's got guts," Lovino said, automatically taking a gulp of his drink.

Matthew chuckled, before he tensed, looking over Vlad's shoulder. Vlad and Feliks were sitting next to each other, while Lovino and Matthew were sitting opposite them. Lovino's eyes widened as well.

"What is it?" Vlad asked, turning his head.

He saw Sadiq approaching with a smirk on his face and turned back, gulping in worry.

"Maybe he'll ignore us if we ignore him," Vlad said lowly.

"No," Matthew said. "He's on his way here."

"Of all the places…" Lovino muttered. "And of all the bastards…"

And when Sadiq reached them, he proceeded to wrap his hand around the crown of Vlad's head, pressing down. Vlad grunted in pain, and Sadiq didn't lose the smirk on his face.

"If it isn't my four _favourite_ people," Sadiq said. "Imagine seeing _you_ here."

"W-what do you want, bastard?" Lovino snapped, eyeing Vlad worriedly.

"What, is it a crime to want to say 'hello'?"

"Go away," Feliks said.

"Or what?" Sadiq asked darkly, squeezing Vlad's head harder, earning a cry of pain from the Romanian.

"L-let go," Vlad gasped.

"And why should I?"

"Stop it!" Matthew shouted. "Can't you see you're hurting him?!"

By now, the other patrons of the restaurant were watching the scene, but no one moved to help the four. Everyone else at the restaurant was a student, after all. And if they didn't stop the harassment at school, then why would they help them here?

"Like _this_ could hurt a demon like him," Sadiq said, before he shoved Vlad against Feliks, thankfully releasing his head.

"Leave us alone, you bastard," Lovino said.

"What did we ever do to you?" Matthew asked.

"You were born," Sadiq spat.

"That's enough!" a waitress shouted. "Get out of this restaurant right now, before I call the manager!"

Sadiq threw her a look before he sneered. He turned back to the four he was tormenting just now.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Sadiq said, before he turned away.

Feliks had his arm wrapped around Vlad and was rubbing his arm soothingly. Vlad was massaging his head, tears in his eyes. No one could blame him. They had each experienced Sadiq's grip before, and could only imagine what it would be like when the head was squeezed the way Vlad's had been.

The waitress sighed, before approaching the four.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," she said, eyes focused on Vlad. "Why don't I bring you each some ice-cream? On the house, of course."

"That would be great," Lovino said.

She smiled before returning to the kitchen. Lovino glared at the other patrons.

"And none of you would lift a fucking finger," he said darkly.

"Let it go," Matthew said, before turning to Vlad. "Are you alright?"

Vlad nodded his head.

"Why is he targeting me?" Vlad asked.

"He's just a bastard," Lovino said. "And one day, he'll get what's coming to him."

"Like, I wish that day would come soon," Feliks said.

…

After they had finished their lunch they had lost all desire to remain at the mall. For one thing, Vlad had a headache after Sadiq had squeezed it the way he had. Matthew especially was worried about him.

"Should we take you to the hospital?" Matthew asked. "What if it's serious?"

"No," Vlad muttered.

They were in the car, on their way from the mall. Lovino would glance towards Vlad in the rear-view mirror from time to time, and though he wouldn't voice it, the others could tell that he was worried as well.

"Like, that was just…" Feliks said. "What gives him the right to _do_ something like that?"

"He sees us as 'beneath him'," Matthew sighed. "He doesn't care what he does to us. Or if he hurts us, or if it's illegal…"

"Stop," Vlad muttered. "Let's just… drop this."

The others fell silent, each of them thinking of something to say. Even though Vlad hadn't been a part of their group for that long, they still thought of him as one of them, and they hated the fact that he had to suffer so much.

They knew that Vlad had so much attention placed on him because he was the 'shiny new toy'. The 'fresh meat'. And while they knew that they should have been grateful that the attention had been averted from them, they couldn't help but find the 'pranks' and the like unusually cruel.

Feliks suddenly perked up, and he turned towards Vlad.

"Like, do you know what I really want to see?" Feliks asked. "Like, _real_ magic."

Matthew glanced towards Vlad, who in turn was staring at Feliks. Lovino, who was driving, couldn't look at any of them.

"What the hell brought _that_ on?" Lovino asked.

"Like, earlier, Vlad said that magic is real," Feliks said. "Like, I want to see it."

"Are you sure?" Vlad asked. "I mean, magic isn't all flashy and sparkly. There are some dark things related to magic."

"But, like I _know_ that you totally wouldn't use something like _that_ in front of us."

"Or _at all_ ," Lovino said.

There was silence for a moment.

"Vlad, you _didn't_ use anything like that, did you?" Matthew asked.

"Once," Vlad admitted. "But… Never again. I promise."

"You're not helping," Lovino said.

Matthew sighed, before he smiled.

"I guess it _would_ be nice to see something like that," Matthew said.

"Yeah!" Feliks said. "So, like, could you show us something?"

Vlad sighed.

"Fine," he said. "But not in the car. It could end up distracting Lovino."

"Yeah, I would prefer _not_ to be distracted," Lovino quickly added.

The others could tell that Lovino was also curious to see real magic.

…

"You're not going to pull a rabbit out of a hat, are you?" Lovino asked.

They were sitting in Vlad's living room. Vlad sighed, shaking his head.

"I need to explain a few things to you first," Vlad said. "First off, magic often requires a conduit. That means that I need something to channel or activate my power. In my case… blood."

The others' eyes widened, and Vlad bowed his head. He knew that information like that would freak out his friends, and they might be disgusted and want to leave. He could trust Arthur and Lukas with the information because they were also well-versed in magic, but… the three of them…

"Whose blood?" Matthew asked worriedly.

"Mine," Vlad said. "There are spells that require others' blood, but… I stay away from them. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"And… is it dangerous? To you, I mean."

"Not really. Usually, simply having an open wound would be enough. And some spells don't need blood, though they tend to be minor and weak spells."

"So, like, it doesn't hurt you?" Feliks asked.

Vlad shook his head.

"Good," Lovino said.

Vlad blinked in surprise, before looking at each of his three friends.

"You… you're not upset?" Vlad asked. "Or disgusted?"

"One question," Lovino said. " _How_ did you get your magic?"

"Well, it's hereditary… I inherited it."

"Including the whole using blood thing?"

"Yeah…"

"Like, then I see no reason to be upset," Feliks said. "Or disgusted. Like, you didn't _choose_ this. You totally can't help it, right?"

Vlad nodded his head.

"Vlad, we're your friends," Matthew said. "We wouldn't hate you because of something like that."

"And, like, if you need to sacrifice someone," Feliks said, "like one of those bastards, we'd totally cover for you."

Vlad smiled.

"Thanks," he said. "So, on to the next thing then. Oh, and I would prefer if you didn't tell anyone about this."

"Of course not," Matthew said. "We're not the types of people to want to make things more difficult for our friends."

Vlad smiled, touched by their understanding. It was great that, in spite of the hell he had been forced to go through because of the bullies, he had friends that he could count on.

"Alright then," Vlad said, biting one of his fingers. "Here goes nothing."

Vlad did the same thing he did for Lukas (and Arthur) the other day. He created a ball of fire, which he then moulded into different shapes, before allowing it to turn into a butterfly and letting it fly around his friends. The three of them were watching the display in wonder.

Finally, the flame butterfly dissipated, and the three turned to look at Vlad with wide eyes. Vlad was waiting for their reactions with baited breath.

"That was so cool…" Feliks muttered.

Vlad beamed in delight.

…

That night when Vlad climbed into bed, he couldn't help the smile on his face. He had friends that accepted him. Friends that weren't freaked out by his magic.

They had wanted to know more, and Vlad had told them everything he could, without divulging anything from the magic club, knowing that the other two wouldn't be very happy about it.

Vlad felt content. He just hoped that the next day didn't bring anything bad again.

 **A friend of mine has this recipe that uses five different kinds of chillies and three different kinds of hot sauce. He said that the guy sitting five tables away from him complained about his eyes starting to water. But my friend can't feel the burn of the spicy food, so he isn't too bothered. I threw a bit of it in. Also, interesting fact: in Afrikaans, when we refer to spicy food, we use the same word for 'burn'. So we literally call it 'burn food'.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Thanks to ScandinavianTrash, Olivia Kirkland, Kattie, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Zaaze, Mondmaedchen and Willow Breeze the first for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 8**

Vlad wasn't looking forward to the new school day, and wasn't happy when his alarm went off. It was with some difficulty that he finally managed to get himself up.

And he had gone to sleep with _such_ high spirits…

Perhaps it was a sign. Something _bad_ would happen that day.

Oh joy. Vlad wondered what it would be _this_ time.

He hoped that he and his friends could make it out unscathed. He hoped that they weren't disturbed by the bullies again. Especially Sadiq.

The Turk had apparently developed an obsession with torturing him. He wondered if it had anything to do with his cut healing itself the other day.

Shaking his head, Vlad started to prepare for the next school day.

…

It was to be expected. The whole school was buzzing about Allen's death. And the fact that the police had no suspects only made the rumours spread.

And it was in homeroom when a new rumour started to spread.

"I can't help but notice that Allen died right after we got a new student," Sadiq said, sneering in Vlad's direction.

All of the attention suddenly turned to Vlad, and his eyes widened. But he didn't say anything, since whatever he said would only land him in more trouble.

"It _is_ a freaky coincidence."

"You don't think _he_ …?"

"Did they check for bite marks?"

"The vampire killed Allen."

Vlad looked helplessly at Matthew, who looked just as horrified by the turn of events. They knew that they needed to do something. But they didn't know _what_ they could do without making things worse.

"Settle down," Miss Braginskaya said as she entered the class. "I know that you're all probably scared because of the murder, but we need to try to go on like nothing happened. The police are investigating as we speak, so _please_ , remain calm."

Vlad was glad that Miss Braginskaya had arrived, but he had a feeling that she only delayed the inevitable. He could already see Sadiq and Elizaveta turning his way, and he knew that they would make sure that the whole school knew.

He would become a suspect in a murder, and in his second week of school. How could things get any worse?

…

Apparently, it could get a _lot_ worse. It was during the third period when the announcement came.

" _Vladimir Lupei, please report to the principal's office. Immediately._ "

Vlad swallowed nervously, before he glanced towards Feliks, who he had this class with. Feliks looked pale, and he didn't look in Vlad's direction. Vlad then looked towards the teacher, who nodded his head.

"You may go," Mr Kirkland said.

Vlad nodded, and he made his way out of the Chemistry lab, trying hard to ignore the whispers behind him.

Thanks to Feliks, Vlad knew the way to the principal's office. He sincerely hoped that he was just curious to hear how things were going.

His hopes were dashed when he was led into the office, only to see two uniformed officers.

"Good morning, Mr Lupei," the principal said. "I hope things are going well for you. These are Officers Kirkland and Beilschmidt. They would like to ask you some questions."

Vlad swallowed nervously, before he nodded his head. He had his eyes focused on Officer Beilschmidt. Most likely Gilbert's father, though he looked more like Ludwig, Gilbert's younger brother.

The principal smiled before he left the room, leaving Vlad alone with the two policemen.

"W-what's this about?" Vlad asked.

"My son sent me a message," Officer Beilschmidt sighed. "He suspects that you had something to do with the murder of Allen James."

"That's a lie," Vlad said. "I didn't even know him."

"You must understand," Officer Kirkland said. "We have no leads. _Anything_ would be helpful, no matter how trivial it is."

"Please, take a seat," Officer Beilschmidt said.

Vlad averted his eyes, before he sat in one of the chairs. The two officers remained standing, however.

"You recently moved here from Romania, correct?" Officer Beilschmidt asked.

"D-da," Vlad said. "This is my second week."

"Made any friends?"

Vlad nodded his head.

"What are they like, in your opinion?"

"They're nice," Vlad said. "They were the first nice people I met in this town. They helped me decorate my house. And they helped clean it too, when…"

Vlad clammed up. Officer Kirkland raised an eyebrow.

"Yes?" he prompted.

"When a few of the others trashed my house," Vlad said weakly.

Officer Beilschmidt shifted slightly.

"In what way did they 'trash' your house?" the German asked.

Vlad swallowed before he shook his head. He was holding himself tightly.

"Vlad," Officer Kirkland said, prompting Vlad to look at him. "Have you been having trouble with the other students?"

"…S-some of them," Vlad admitted.

"Was one of them Allen James?" Officer Beilschmidt asked.

"Nu," Vlad said. "At least, not to me."

Officer Kirkland sighed.

"I've already heard from Arthur about the dilute acid incident," Officer Kirkland said. "Alistair and my wife told me as well. Are there any other instances?"

Vlad hesitated. He considered telling them about Sadiq cutting him with a knife, but the wound had already completely healed. He had no way to prove that part.

"A-a few acts of vandalism towards my house," Vlad said.

"And why haven't you reported it?" Officer Beilschmidt asked.

"Would it have made a difference?" Vlad asked. "A-and since when does the police handle something like bullying?"

Officer Kirkland sighed.

"When the bullying involves a criminal offence such as vandalism, we'll look into it," Officer Kirkland said. "If you want, we could help you right now."

Vlad shook his head.

"I-I'm afraid that it might make things worse," Vlad said.

Officer Kirkland sighed.

"If that's the way you feel about it," he said. "But if you decide that you want our help, call."

Officer Kirkland held out a card, and Vlad hesitantly took it.

"Go on ahead," Officer Kirkland told his colleague. "There's one more thing that I need to speak to Vlad about."

Officer Beilschmidt sighed but nodded, leaving the two alone. Once he was gone, Officer Kirkland turned a serious gaze to Vlad.

"I know that you're in the magic club," Officer Kirkland said. "And I know you specialise in Blood Magic. How far are you willing to go with it?"

"I-I wouldn't go further than my own blood," Vlad said. "A-and I'm not a masochist, so…"

Officer Kirkland sighed.

"Arthur also told me that there was a malignant presence at the scene of the crime," he said. "And that you were _there_ , but had lost your memory."

Vlad swallowed nervously. How much did the officer know?

"It's going to be hard to explain," Officer Kirkland continued. "So I won't. Unless we get any evidence that places you at the scene of the crime, there's no reason why we have to speak like this again."

Vlad nodded his head.

"But, I want you to tell me if you've ever dealt with something like that before," the older man said.

Vlad swallowed nervously.

"D-da," Vlad said. "It was an accidental summoning. My mother managed to get it away, but… there's a chance that it might come back."

"I see," Officer Kirkland sighed.

"Um, I think I have other information about the creature," Vlad said.

"Oh?"

"I don't think it's _too_ malignant. My friend was there too, but he doesn't remember anything either. Except… the guy that was killed liked to sexually assault him."

Officer Kirkland's eyes widened, before he sighed.

"Are you _sure_ that we shouldn't look into your bullying?" Officer Kirkland asked. "If what you say is true, then they already have two counts of criminal offence behind them."

Vlad shook his head, before turning to the door.

"One of them is Gilbert Beilschmidt," Vlad said.

Officer Kirkland nodded in understanding.

"I see," he said. "But whenever they cross another line, be sure to call me."

…

"So, like, what happened?" Feliks asked.

The four were in the lunchroom, and by now the whole school knew that Vlad had spoken to the police. He didn't like the sound of the whispers and snickers.

"The Officers offered to help us with the bullying," Vlad said. "But I turned them down."

"Why would you do that?" Matthew asked.

"One of them is Gilbert's dad."

The other three winced. Lovino took a big gulp of his drink before he focused his gaze on his friend.

"What exactly did you tell them?" Lovino asked.

"That they trashed my house," Vlad said. He turned to Feliks. "And… one of them knows what Allen did to you. I didn't give names or anything."

Feliks lowered his head before he shrugged.

"Like, it wouldn't have mattered anyway," Feliks said. "But… thanks for trying to protect my privacy or whatever."

Vlad smiled at his friend.

"And it looks like the Japanese Bastard is pissed," Lovino said lowly.

Vlad frowned, before he looked over towards where Lovino was looking. He could see the red-eyed Japanese glaring at him, completely ignoring his twin, and Vlad quickly turned back to the others.

"What'd I do?" Vlad asked.

"Kyo was Allen's friend," Matthew said. "More than Alfred was. And if Kyo believes those rumours…"

Vlad shuddered, avoiding looking in Kyo's direction. He hoped he didn't have _another_ bully after him. And didn't they mention that Kyo sometimes messed with them as well?

"Let's hope you don't have someone else after your ass," Lovino said.

Matthew looked around before he sighed. He reached out for Vlad, taking his wrist.

"Why don't the two of us head to the library?" Matthew asked. "It's a lot quieter there."

Vlad knew what Matthew was doing. He was worried about the other students whispering about him and was trying to get him out of the line of fire. Vlad acted as though he didn't see through it and nodded his head, and the two left the lunchroom.

"Poor guy," Feliks remarked. "Like, I wonder what will happen."

"If things go the way they are now, I don't think Vampire Jerk could last long," Lovino said. "If you know what I mean."

"Once you're accepted in the school, there's like no going back unless you're expelled," Feliks sighed. "Like, I know what you mean."

"Has it ever crossed your mind?"

"Like, a few times. You?"

Lovino nodded his head.

"If I didn't have Matteo, I would have probably done it," Lovino said.

"Like, I know what you mean. You and Mattie were the same for me. And, like, we totally have to be there for Vlad too."

"I know."

…

Vlad and Matthew were walking along the hallways, not speaking. They found the silence between them comforting, and didn't feel a need to break it. For both of them, simply being around a friend was enough.

They saw another student round the corner ahead of them. Matthew stopped dead, looking as though he had been shocked. It took Vlad a few steps to realise that Matthew was no longer walking with him and he stopped as well, looking back to his friend in confusion.

"Matthew?" Vlad asked.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Canadian and his new vampire friend."

Vlad turned back to the other student and saw the look in his eyes. It was the same look that the bullies would often have towards them.

"C-Carlos," Matthew stuttered.

Vlad's eyes widened. He remembered what they had said about the other, the 'Cuban Bastard'. Matthew was his favourite.

Subconsciously Vlad moved in front of Matthew when the Cuban drew closer, something that wasn't missed by the other, who grinned at the sight.

"Are you supposed to be his bodyguard or what?" Carlos sneered.

"I'm his friend," Vlad said. "And I won't let you hurt him."

Carlos snickered.

"You've got balls, I'll give you that," the Cuban said. "But are you sure that's a good idea? What with the rumour going around and everything."

"That's nothing but bullshit," Vlad said.

"Maybe. But you can't deny that it's a freaky coincidence."

Carlos's attention shifted towards something behind the pair, and his grin widened. Vlad was tempted to look, but he didn't dare take his eyes off the bully in front of them.

"Looks like only one half of the freaks are here," a familiar voice said. "The vampire and the ghost."

Vlad's eyes widened, and he realised that Sadiq was behind them. He felt Matthew drawing closer to him, and it wasn't lost on the two that they were caged by the two bullies.

Carlos started cracking his knuckles and he continued to look past the two.

"What do you say, Sadiq?" Carlos asked. "Want a little tag-team action?"

"Sounds good," Sadiq said.

The two bullies closed in, with Vlad frantically searching for an opening. He could feel Matthew trembling behind him.

The lights flickered above them, though none of them paid it any mind.

Vlad yelped when Carlos grabbed him by the arm, pulling him away from Matthew. The Canadian cried out as well, and Vlad saw that Matthew had been grabbed by Sadiq in a similar fashion.

Vlad grunted when Carlos punched him in the stomach, and he saw Matthew get punched in the face. And then the bullies tossed them to the other, so that Vlad ended up in Sadiq's grip while Matthew ended up in Carlos's grip.

"I've been waiting all day to do this," Sadiq said lowly as he pinned Vlad against the wall, the same thing happening to Matthew against the opposite wall.

Vlad closed his eyes, expecting a punch, but to his surprise Sadiq wrapped his hand around his throat instead.

"You shouldn't have come here, freak," Sadiq said.

Vlad opened his eyes briefly to see black spots in his vision before he closed his eyes again.

…

Carlos had readied his fist while Matthew had his eyes slightly lowered, and just as he started to punch his fist was grabbed. His eyes widened in surprise.

"Not going to happen this time," Matthew said, before he lifted his head. Carlos's eyes widened when he saw the red eyes staring at him.

"What the hell…?" Carlos whispered. "S-Sadiq?!"

"Hmm?" Sadiq hummed before turning around, and his eyes widened when he saw Matthew's red eyes.

Vlad then grabbed the Turk by his wrist and pried his hand away. Sadiq turned back to see Vlad looking at him with blank red eyes, though there was something off about the colour.

"Back. Off," Vlad said.

Both Matthew and Vlad pushed the bullies away, and they collided with their backs against each other. They were staring at the two in surprise.

"I knew it," Sadiq said. "You're a demon."

"Vlad isn't," Vlad said. " _I_ am. Call me Blood."

"And I am Death," Matthew said.

"Y-you…" Carlos stuttered. "You killed Allen, didn't you?"

"We didn't," Vlad said. "Insanity did."

"And now we're just waiting for Decay," Matthew said.

"What the hell are you?" Sadiq demanded.

The two didn't answer immediately, instead they started circling the two, like predators circling their prey, waiting to kill.

"Emotions are a powerful weapon," Matthew said. "And you invoked too many damaging emotions."

"A week," Vlad said. "That's all it took. You really are deplorable mortals. You don't deserve to live."

"H-hey," Carlos said, looking towards Vlad. "I didn't do anything to you."

"To _me_. Matthew, on the other hand…"

Carlos turned to Matthew.

"Look, I'm sorry!" Carlos said. "I…"

"Sorry?" Matthew repeated, his voice frozen. "You think that a 'sorry' can fix it? You think a 'sorry' can fix the bruises? The broken nose? Or what about the time you punched me in the throat? I couldn't speak properly for two weeks. I had to convince my parents that it was laryngitis. That's only some of the physical abuse. The tip of the iceberg. I didn't even start with the emotional abuse. But that pathetic display just proves that you're a coward."

Sadiq growled.

"I thought you weren't Matthew?" Sadiq asked.

"I am Matthew," he said. "And I am Death. A demon."

"I am Vlad," Vlad said. "And I am Blood. But my hands are clean. No blood to stain them yet."

Sadiq glanced towards the sides. All they needed was for someone to come along, and then the two would stop. Matthew saw his glance and cocked his head.

"You're waiting for someone to come," Matthew said. "Someone to save you. That won't happen. It didn't happen with us, so why should it happen to you?"

"How fitting," Vlad said. "The predators have become prey. It's not so fun being on the other side, is it?"

Sadiq growled, before he lunged towards the nearest one, which happened to be Vlad. Vlad caught the fist aimed at him, and Sadiq was thrown against Carlos's back again, earning a grunt from the Cuban.

"The difference is that someone actually _cares_ about us, unlike you freaks," Sadiq said.

"You think someone will save you because they care about you?" Matthew asked. "How naïve. They don't care about either of you."

"And no one will stop us," Vlad said. "No one will pass this way. The moment the two of us awoke, we caused a temporal freeze. Time has stopped, except for us."

"Liar!" Sadiq shouted.

"See for yourself," Matthew said. "Clock's not ticking."

Carlos looked at the watch on his arm and gulped.

"He's right," he said. "My watch stopped."

"That's nothing but a bullshit coincidence!" Sadiq snapped. "Someone will come."

"Someone will save us," Matthew said mockingly.

"There's no way anyone would just allow this to happen," Vlad said equally as mockingly. "Those words are familiar to us. The lies we told ourselves."

Sadiq looked between the two, craning his neck to do so.

"How'd this happen?" Sadiq asked. "Answer me!"

Vlad smirked, and it was the first facial expression that crossed either of their faces.

"It's all thanks to you," Vlad said. "Only a week, and already he's had _enough_ of the abuse."

"And how long has Matthew suffered from it?" Matthew asked.

"W-what are you going to do to us?" Carlos asked.

Now it was Matthew's turn to smirk.

"Take a wild guess," Matthew said. "It's what you deserve, after all."

"You threw that rock through my window, didn't you, Sadiq?" Vlad asked. "Your stench was all over it. And you weren't wrong. _I_ am a demon. Vlad isn't. But you've marked him. And now, if you don't mind, I'm thirsty."

 **In case you're wondering, the bullies are so violent and uncaring about what they're doing because of the lack of adults in the town. A lot of students live alone, and they lack the authority figures to keep them in line, and all other authority figures are too busy to really deal with the bullies, and they can't do anything at all without witnessing their actions for themselves. Not to mention the fact that they see the four as beneath them.**

 **Officer Beilschmidt is Germania, while Officer Kirkland is an OC. I considered having him be 2PEngland, but decided on having an OC that's more a combination of Wales and Scotland: gentle, but with a bit of a temper. Towards the four, he would mostly be like Wales. And as you can see, the Kirklands are really involved in the town. Again, due to the lack of other adults to play the roles.**

 **And the reasons why Vlad doesn't accept the officers' help will become clearer. His friends actually share his sentiments, and it doesn't have anything to do with one of the officers being the father of one of the bullies.**

 **Now, a little admin. Yesterday our phoneline got severed (we don't know** _ **how**_ **, since it wasn't during a storm, and it's between four yards, so it couldn't have been severed by anyone else – the pole is in the corner of one of the neighbours' yards before leading to our house). Along with the phone goes the wi-fi. I'm on campus today, so I can post this, but I'm not there every day and it's about an hour's drive away from my house. I might be able to post HCSS tomorrow through my tablet using mobile data, but I still have to write Ve, We Totally Fooled You's newest chapter, and I only know that I'll be on campus again on Tuesday. I might manage at one of the restaurants in town that advertises wi-fi, but if I don't, then until the line is fixed, updates might be irregular. They'll still happen, just maybe not on the fixed days.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Thanks to SweetHoneyBee, Tarlockean-and-Proud, Olivia Kirkland, Kattie, ToolboxHDR, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, ScandinavianTrash, Mondmaedchen and an anon for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 9**

When Matthew and Vlad arrived at the library, neither of them felt up to actually going inside. Matthew's face was flushed and he was feeling feverish, while Vlad had paled significantly and he was swaying on the spot. But they still went inside, having nothing better to do.

The librarian, Miss Young, noticed the two immediately and went to them, looking concerned.

"Oh my goodness," she said. "Are you two alright?"

"I don't know," Vlad said, a little foggy. "I feel…"

"What's going on?" Matthew asked.

The librarian pursed her lips, looking between the two.

"How long have you been feeling like this?" she asked.

"We were fine until a while ago," Matthew said.

"But…" Vlad started. "Two days ago I had a fever and nearly fainted after school. And… we spent the day together yesterday."

"You must have inadvertently passed on whatever's ailing you," the librarian said. "Come. I'll take you to the nurse's office."

The two didn't resist, allowing the older woman to lead them away. They eventually reached a hallway that had all three of them frozen in horror.

Carlos and Sadiq, lying in a pool of blood. Their faces were twisted in horror, and there was a gaping wound in each of their chests. And on the ceiling was written this message: _Heartless monsters get what they deserve._

"Who could have done this?" Miss Young whispered.

Vlad and Matthew didn't answer, though Matthew looked a little green. Matthew stumbled back, looking as though his lunch would be making a swift return. The librarian seemed to notice the Canadian's state, for she immediately pushed him away. She led Vlad and Matthew away from the scene.

"I'll take you to Nurse Kirkland, and then I'll inform the principal," she said. "Twice in one week. How could this have happened?"

Neither of them answered, something tugging at each of their memories. They also felt a little sick. Not because of what they saw, but _who_ they saw. And the part that made them sick was the fact that they were both _happy_ about it. Though they didn't admit it.

Miss Young had picked up her pace, and the two boys were frantically trying to keep up. Matthew especially looked as though he was having a hard time. Vlad turned to him in concern.

"Are you alright?" Vlad asked.

Matthew shook his head.

"I don't feel so good," he said.

Vlad had to agree. He felt a little nauseous himself, and he started to feel cold.

"We're almost there," Miss Young said.

Sure enough, it didn't take them much longer to reach the nurse's office. Vlad felt a little bad that it was only the second week and _already_ it was the third time he came here.

Alice looked up when they entered, and she sighed.

"Again, Vlad?" she asked. "What is it this time?"

"These two boys entered my library, clearly unwell," Miss Young said.

" _Both_ of them?"

As though to answer her question, Matthew ran towards the nearby sink, and as predicted, his lunch made a hasty return.

"How did this happen?" Alice asked.

Miss Young shook her head, before she made her way to the door.

"I need to go to Mr Jebb," Miss Young said. "Two more students have been murdered."

Alice's eyes widened, but before she could ask the younger woman was out of the door. She turned to the two students.

Vlad had opted to lie down. The room was spinning and his vision occasionally fogged over. Matthew had stopped vomiting, immediately whimpering in discomfort.

"How exactly are _both_ of you feeling unwell?" Alice asked.

"I think he got it from me," Vlad said. "We spent a lot of time together yesterday with our other friends."

Alice clicked her tongue.

"I suppose I would have to examine them too," she said. "Matthew, go lie on a bed as well."

Matthew nodded his head, before he did as told. Alice approached him with a thermometer, and he obediently placed it under his tongue.

"What's this about another murder?" she asked in a low voice.

"When we were on our way here, we saw Sadiq and another student who I don't know in the hallway, dead," Vlad said.

"Carlos," Matthew supplied.

"Are you _sure_ that they were dead?" Alice asked.

"They had big holes in their chests," Vlad said. "I think they're pretty dead."

Matthew groaned, and Alice looked towards him worriedly.

"Were you feeling nauseous before or after you stumbled upon that sight?" she asked.

"After," Matthew said.

Alice stroked his hair as she took the thermometer.

"It's horrible that you had to see it," she said, glancing at the thermometer. "And it's obvious that you're not going anywhere. With a fever like this, I'm surprised you hadn't passed out yet."

Alice then washed the thermometer, before turning her attention to Vlad.

"You don't seem too bothered by the murders you witnessed," she said.

"Bigger priorities," Vlad said simply.

Alice frowned, before approaching him with the thermometer. Vlad obediently placed it under his tongue, even though he started to shiver from cold.

Alice sighed, waiting patiently for Vlad's temperature. After a while she removed the thermometer, and her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Are you feeling cold?" Alice asked.

Vlad nodded his head, curling up into a tight ball.

"You have a high fever…" Alice mused. "A cold fever. Oh boy… Under the covers, right now."

Vlad didn't hesitate, immediately diving under them. Alice went to her medicine cabinet, taking a bottle. She removed four pills before going to another cabinet, this one with plastic cups. As she was doing this, an announcement rang out over the intercom.

"All students, report to your homerooms immediately."

Alice sighed, worried about another murder having taken place in the school. And not just one, but _two._ But right now, she needed to tend to her patients.

And she would have to notify Katyusha that two of her students were in her office. And then somehow get the other two members of the quartet to come for a check-up.

She took two cups that she had filled with water and carried two pills in each of her hands to the two patients. She handed one cup to Matthew, and once the cup was firmly in his hands she gave him the pills in her hand before doing the same to Vlad.

The two drank the pills, downing the cups as they did so, and she quickly took the cups to refill them with water. They downed these cups as well, but they left the third refill as they settled down to rest.

"You poor boys," she muttered.

…

Katyusha Braginskaya was growing immensely worried. Three of her students hadn't made it to class, and since she had no idea what was going on, it made her grow more fearful.

She looked up when someone entered, expecting at least one of the missing students, only to see Alice Kirkland.

"I just came to inform you that Matthew Williams and Vladimir Lupei are in my office," she said.

Katyusha sighed in relief.

"And… Sadiq Adnan?" she asked.

Alice flinched, and Katyusha grew even more concerned. Without answering, the older woman closed the door.

Katyusha glanced over towards the whispering students, knowing that the rumour mill was operational. She just hoped that whatever it was, it wasn't something serious.

Like another murder.

…

Lovino and Feliks obediently followed behind the nurse. They had been pulled out of their homeroom, and they both wondered if something had happened to their remaining two friends.

"How are you feeling today, Feliks?" Alice asked.

"Like, way better," he said.

"What's this about?" Lovino asked.

"Matthew and Vlad are in my office, both with fevers," Alice explained. "Since the four of you are always together, and both Feliks _and_ Vlad have shown signs of being unwell on Monday, I just need to make sure that you're not all coming down with something."

Feliks and Lovino shared a look. Their mild concern for their friends had certainly been elevated from its 'mild' status.

"Like, are they okay?" Feliks asked.

"They're sleeping at the moment, but both have a pretty high fever," Alice said. "Have the two of you experienced any symptoms?"

Lovino frowned, tilting his head back.

"I think I blanked out two days ago," Lovino said. "My clothes were covered in food, and the next thing I know, I'm all clean. Is that normal?"

"I'm not sure," Alice said, frowning.

The rest of the trip was silent, and once they reached the office, Feliks and Lovino immediately went towards the two occupied beds.

"Like, Vlad just _can't_ get a break," Feliks said.

"Alright, you two," Alice said.

The two nodded, before going towards two unoccupied beds. Feliks looked a little nervous.

"Like, you aren't going to have to totally take blood, right?" Feliks asked.

"Not my jurisdiction," Alice said. "This is just a basic check-up."

The two of them were relieved by the fact that needles wouldn't be involved, and so they allowed the school nurse to commence with the check-ups. They could understand why it was being done. Feliks had passed out two days ago, and apparently Vlad had caught a fever when he was busy with his club activities. Then the four of them had spent almost the entire previous day together, and now Matthew and Vlad were both sick with fevers.

It would be safe to assume by this point that there was a chance that all four of them had gotten sick.

They _could_ think of one explanation for it, though. They had been locked in a shower with the cold water turned on its highest, unable to turn it off. It might have been that the cold water – and the resulting wet clothes – had caused them to get a cold.

But explaining that would not be an easy task.

For one thing, they couldn't quite explain why it had taken so long for them to start showing signs of being sick. And how would they explain _how_ it had happened? Nurse Kirkland seemed to know that they were being bullied, or at least she suspected it. But how much was she willing to believe?

"You both _appear_ to be fine, at least for now," Alice said. "The only thing that's concerning is your blood pressure. Both of you seem to be suffering from low blood pressure."

"Is that bad?" Lovino asked.

"Not necessarily," Alice said. "It's certainly better than suffering from high blood pressure, at least. But you might suffer from some dizziness and tiredness. You may want to stock up on salty treats."

"But, like, are we okay?" Feliks asked.

"I'm not sure," Alice admitted. "When was the last time you both had check-ups?"

"Three months ago," Lovino said.

"Like, four," Feliks said.

"Did your physician inform you of low blood pressure?" Alice asked.

The two shook their heads.

"Then it's safe to assume that it's a symptom of you being sick," Alice said. "I don't see any other symptoms, but that may change. Anyway, I suggest you stay here for the time being. Once again, I'll write each of you a pass."

"And, like, what about Vlad and Mattie?" Feliks asked.

"I think it would be better if I gave the two of them off for the rest of the week," Alice said. "They need to stay at home and recover."

She left the two after that, and since they weren't officially dismissed, they decided to stay in her office, staying on the two beds that they had chosen for themselves.

"This is all those bastards' fault," Lovino said.

"Like, I totally agree," Feliks said. "We didn't do anything to them. And Vlad… Like, I hope those assholes totally get what's coming to them."

…

Officer Kirkland sighed, first staring at the two corpses, and then towards the words on the ceiling. There were so many mysteries.

At least, to a normal officer.

Granted, he wasn't as strong as his sons, especially Arthur, but he knew a thing or two about magic and the supernatural. That was the only explanation for it. Sadly, neither his partner nor his superiors would accept it.

"We're way out of our league," his partner, Officer Wulfric Beilschmidt, said. "We're supposed to be looking after a town with a majority of teenagers. Not… _this_."

Kirkland nodded his head.

"I know," he said. "And yet… it's not surprising."

"What do you mean?"

"How many of these students arrived without parental supervision? They're unchecked. And they're teenagers. Their moralities can be a bit skewed at times. And how much do they get away with?"

"Are you talking about what that Romanian had told us this morning?"

"Part of it, yes."

Wulfric sighed.

"Ian, unless he presses charges, there's nothing we can do about it," he said. "We'll have our sons look after him."

Ian remembered what Vlad had told him that morning and sighed.

"I'll tell Arthur and Alistair," Ian said. "And I think you should tell Ludwig. You know how… unreliable Gilbert could be."

Wulfric sighed and reluctantly nodded his head. Ian felt relieved. He didn't want to cause any more trouble for Vlad. The poor boy had gone through quite enough, and it was only his second week.

"What happened to their hearts?" Wulfric asked.

Ian shuddered, before looking up at the ceiling.

"It's one horrific crime after another," Ian said. "You don't think this is the work of a serial killer, do you?"

"Don't even joke about something like that," Wulfric said.

"I'm not."

Wulfric stared at him for a moment before he sighed.

"And now I find myself wishing that you were," he said.

…

Arthur was tapping his fingers restlessly. The teacher apparently had no idea what was going on, and he wondered if it extended to _all_ the teachers. The students were restless, and no move was being made to allow classes to resume.

He had noticed that his mother had come to collect Lovino Vargas and Feliks Łukasiewicz. The fact that those two had been collected told him one thing: something had happened to either Vlad or Matthew. Or perhaps both.

Some of the other students seemed to have noticed it, for they started whispering amongst each other. It didn't help with the rumours about Vlad being involved in Allen's murder. The poor boy just couldn't catch a break, now could he?

And one of the loudest voices in the room was, of course, Alfred.

"Do you think they've decided to arrest the vampire?" Alfred asked. "Hey, do you think those other three freaks are his accomplices?"

Arthur could feel his anger building, especially when some of the other students started to agree. Finally, though, he snapped.

"How can you all be so cruel?" he demanded. "Vlad had nothing to do with Allen's death. And has it ever occurred to you that something had happened to one of them?" He turned to Alfred. "I would expect that _you_ at least would show some concern for your brother and his friends."

Alfred narrowed his eyes, his smile falling.

"I don't _have_ a brother," Alfred said.

"And you don't have a friend in me any longer," Arthur said firmly, standing from his seat.

"Where are you going?"

"I need air. And away from you."

Arthur glanced towards the teacher, who waved him off. She had witnessed the conversation, but wasn't willing to do much more. Arthur felt a little annoyed at the teachers. They were aware of the bullying the three, now four, suffered at the hands of a large number of students, but unless they _saw_ what happened, they couldn't – or wouldn't – do anything about it.

He could only imagine how much suffering the four would have to go through before something was finally done about it. But would it be too late?

And he felt disgusted with himself. He never did anything to help the others. And he was even friends with one of the worst bullies to the group. But no more.

Making a decision about what to do, he started on his way to the nurse's office.

…

Vlad finally awoke, his temperature seeming mild once again. He had the strangest dream, but as he tried to recall it, he found it slipping from his mind. Something about Sadiq…

He looked around, and he saw that Matthew was still asleep. He also noticed Lovino and Feliks on two other beds, speaking lowly with each other, probably so that they didn't disturb the two sleeping teens. Vlad sat up, and Lovino was the one that noticed the movement, immediately ceasing his conversation in favour of looking at Vlad.

"Are you okay, Vampire Jerk?" Lovino asked.

Vlad nodded his head, before looking around. Spotting a cup of water nearby, he immediately proceeded to down it.

"Like, the nurse said she's like going to give you and Mattie the rest of the week off," Feliks said. "Like, you're so lucky."

"I don't _feel_ lucky," Vlad said.

"Yeah, being sick sucks," Lovino said. "And I think I know _why_ you, and possibly we, are sick."

"Hmm?"

"When those bastards trapped us in the shower."

"It's a possibility," Vlad said. "But I don't think that's the case. We would have shown symptoms earlier, and we wouldn't go back and forth the way we are."

"So then, like what else could it be?" Feliks asked.

"No idea," Vlad said. "But at least we have one less bastard to worry about."

"What do you mean?" Lovino asked.

"Sadiq is dead. Him and another guy. I think Matthew said his name's Carlos."

"The Cuban Bastard? So… Wait, how do you know that?"

"Matthew and I saw it."

There was silence for a few moments, broken by a knock on the door. They turned when it opened, and Arthur poked his head in.

"Where's my mum?" Arthur asked.

"She's busy outside," Lovino said.

Arthur nodded his head, and he looked towards Vlad.

"You look horrible," Arthur said. "Are you alright?"

"I've been better," Vlad said.

"Right… Listen, I'm… sorry."

"About what?" Vlad asked.

"Not helping any of you in the past."

Lovino scoffed.

"What the hell changed?" Lovino said. "And since when do you care?"

"Let's just say, my disgust has reached its climax," Arthur said. "Also, just so you know, I'm no longer friends with Alfred Jones. That git has gone too far."

Lovino and Feliks exchanged a look, and Vlad smiled.

"Thank you," Vlad said.

 **I originally wanted to go into detail about how Sadiq and Carlos were killed, and I also wanted to make it a little more gruesome, but… it's a bit too early in the story for that.**

 **I wasn't sure how you refer to a cold fever in English. It's basically when you have a fever, but you feel cold. I was once shivering under four blankets while my temperature was 40 degrees Celsius.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Thanks to SweetHoneyBee, Zaaze, Nordic-Fan, Kattie, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, ToolboxHDR, ScandinavianTrash and an anon for reviewing.**

 **Just to clarify: cold fever is the phrase translated directly from Afrikaans. It's differentiated from a regular fever since a regular fever makes you feel hot, while a cold fever makes you feel cold. What happens with a cold fever is that the body believes that its temperature is** _ **supposed**_ **to be high, for example 40 degrees Celsius. And often the temperature that the body believes it should be is higher than the fever's temperature, so you feel cold. It's also harder to sweat out this fever, since the body thinks it's supposed to be that hot, and trying to make yourself warmer would only worsen it. The only way to fix it is through medication. This is according to information on health24.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 10**

A few hours later Vlad was lying in his own bed. The students had been sent home after a while. This was _not_ what he had expected when he had started a new school. Things were just spiralling out of control.

Sure, he had expected some form of bullying. After all, what high school – actually, _any_ school – was free from it? What he _hadn't_ expected was the scale it would manifest in. He didn't think that it would result in vandalism of his home. He didn't think that rumours would spread of his involvement in the murders, which there simply was not.

Though, when he thought about Sadiq and that other boy, Carlos, he couldn't help but think that there was something wrong about it. He could feel a tug of memory, as though there was something that he had forgotten.

Remembering what happened with Allen's corpse two days ago, he bit his lip. There was a possibility that his memories had been altered again. But for what purpose?

He thought back to the two corpses, and he recalled that he _could_ sense that something supernatural had been there, but it wasn't _quite_ the same as with Allen. It was similar, yes, but different. And he could have sworn that he had sensed the lingering presence of more than one.

He wondered why it would alter their memories, and why it was going after their bullies.

Though now that he thought about it, he _had_ heard of creatures that fed on predatory actions. And bullying could be considered that. There were also creatures that preferred to kill those very 'predators' in order to prove themselves stronger. And then there were creatures that hated seeing such actions, and that came to the defence of the 'prey'.

Regardless of its motives, Vlad would need to find out what it was, before more people were murdered. Perhaps next time, it could be an innocent.

And Vlad realised how lucky he was. The identity of the murderer was inside his memory. Possibly. He had to have seen it for it to alter his memories. Right?

Finding himself doubtful, Vlad hesitated. What would he do when he found out? He couldn't reveal it to anyone, other than Arthur and Lukas. And Officer Kirkland was aware, but what would he even be able to do?

He felt a wave of dizziness and groaned. While his fever had died down, he was still incredibly dizzy. And attempting something like a memory charm in his current state would just be looking for trouble. He was simply not in the right physical state for something like that.

He would explore this idea again when he felt better. But for now, he would sleep. He was incredibly tired all of a sudden.

…

Matthew was feeling horrible, not that his brother cared. He was being kept in the living room, with Alfred's hand curled around his upper arm. He could feel his brother's fingers digging into his flesh, and probably because of the fact that he was sick, it hurt more than it should have.

"Tell me the _truth_ ," Alfred spat. "Did you and your freaky friends have anything to do with the murders?"

"Of course not!" Matthew shouted. "Why would you even think that?"

Alfred's grip tightened, and Matthew winced in pain.

"It's all a freaky coincidence, don't you think?" Alfred asked. "That vampire coming, and…"

"Vlad isn't a vampire," Matthew snapped.

Alfred glared at him for the interruption, but didn't comment on it.

"He came, and suddenly we have three dead bodies," Alfred continued. "And the fact that they're all friends of mine…"

"You mean our bullies," Matthew said, glaring. "You're mad because everyone killed made it their life's mission to make _our_ lives hell. Just like you! _That's_ why you're upset!"

Matthew gasped when he received a punch in the face, and he was somewhat relieved to feel that Alfred had released his grip on his arm. He looked up with watery eyes at his brother, who was glaring at him with venom.

"It's your fault, you know?" Alfred said. "It's not bullying. It's teaching worthless freaks like you their place in society."

Matthew glared hatefully at his brother.

"We weren't the ones responsible," he said. "But the killer was doing us a favour. Don't give me that look. You would kill us too, if given the chance, wouldn't you?"

Matthew could see his brother's anger, and he was sort of prepared when hands wrapped around his throat. He calmly looked at Alfred.

"I told you," Matthew said. "You'd kill us, if given the chance."

Alfred's eyes widened, and he released Matthew. Matthew was slightly relieved to see that bit of humanity, and continued on.

"You hate us," Matthew said. "We've done nothing wrong, and you hate us? Do you know how much we've suffered at your hands? Do you have _any_ idea the kinds of things you've done to your own _brother_?"

"Shut up!" Alfred shouted. "You're the reason why Artie doesn't want to be my friend anymore!"

"Is it really _our_ fault?" Matthew said. "Because Arthur told us that he was tired of the way _you_ were acting."

The second punch was more expected than the previous one, but it didn't stop the fact that it hurt. Alfred stormed out of the room, and Matthew sighed.

He knew that he had won that round against his brother, but like every victory, it was bittersweet, since Matthew was always left in pain.

Now that he thought about it, he felt as though he had been in pain earlier that week, with the other side of his head having been the one to suffer. But surely he would remember?

Unless he had a concussion, of course.

Matthew shuddered. That was a possibility that he did _not_ want to explore.

Feeling a headache coming on, Matthew decided that it would be best if he went to bed, where he _should_ have been. Climbing the stairs, he paused halfway, eyes drifting to the bottom step. Shaking his head of the strange feeling, he continued on his way to his room, where he collapsed on his bed.

…

Lovino had a small smile on his face, and for good reason: he was on kitchen duty. Which meant that he didn't have to deal with any customers. He also didn't get any crap from the other employees, so all in all, it was a good day.

However, the reason _why_ he had been placed on kitchen duty was enough to sour his day. He was there because two days ago, he had been tripped and had spilled all of the food over his clothes. And his grandfather didn't believe him when he said that he had been tripped, and just believed that he had tripped on his own.

That he was clumsy. That he could do nothing right. That he was only good for messing things up.

He had _tried_ to explain to his grandfather that he was being bullied, but the elder just wouldn't listen. And then his grandfather had asked _Feliciano_ , the oblivious bastard, whether or not it was true, and Marcello had also never seen anything, since he usually spent his lunch breaks outside. And then his grandfather had blamed his 'foul attitude' for not being able to befriend anyone. Never mind the fact that he didn't _always_ have said 'foul attitude'.

His grandfather also had a tendency not to acknowledge Matthew and Feliks as his friends. He simply couldn't accept it, since they were too different. But he complimented Feliciano and Marcello on the wide variety of friends they had.

He was brought out of his dark thoughts by a yelp, and he turned to see one of the other cooks being covered in the tomato sauce he had been working on. It happened sometimes that a bubble would burst in the sauce, sending a small amount of its contents all over the poor soul working on it.

His grandfather entered the kitchen, a grim look on his face. His eyes settled on Lovino, and the younger sighed. What did his grandfather think he did _this_ time?

Romulus walked up to his grandson, while Lovino kept a weary gaze on him.

"What did you do this time?" Romulus asked lowly.

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about," Lovino said.

"Language," Romulus said reflexively. "The police are here."

Lovino felt his stomach drop. Of course, his grandfather would think that _he_ did something, regardless of evidence to the contrary.

"And why would you think that _I_ did something?" Lovino asked, a little hurt at the subtle accusation.

"Because he asked to speak with _you_ ," Romulus said.

Oh.

"I didn't do anything," Lovino said, already removing his apron in order to go speak with the officer.

"And when you're done with that," Romulus said, "I think it's best if you go home."

Lovino's eyes widened.

"What?" he asked. "W-why?"

Romulus simply shook his head, and he left without answering his grandson. Lovino felt another pang, and he felt the tears stinging his eyes. Just what did his grandfather _think_ about him?

"For what it's worth," one of the cooks said, "I don't think you did anything wrong."

Lovino gave her a small smile in gratitude, before going to the restaurant area.

He immediately recognised Officer Kirkland, having seen him around before. Thankfully, the man wasn't wearing his uniform, but that didn't change the fact that most of the town knew who he was. Everyone at the restaurant would know without a shadow of a doubt that he would be speaking with the police. They would form their own theories, and the rumour mill would start grinding.

The officer smiled, and Lovino felt himself relax a little. At least he knew that he wasn't in trouble, but he _still_ didn't know what it was about.

"Thank you for coming," Officer Kirkland said.

"What's this about?" Lovino asked, taking a seat opposite the officer.

"It's about the murders," the officer said, his smile falling. "Allen James, Sadiq Adnan and Carlos Muchado. All three of them were friends, or at least on friendly terms. But there's another thing that they all have in common. I think you know better than I do what that is."

Lovino averted his eyes. Yes, he knew what they all had in common, and wondered what the officer was getting at.

Officer Kirkland sighed, before he took a sip of his coffee.

"So, the three of them liked to give you and your friends some grief?" Officer Kirkland said.

Lovino knew that it was both a question and a statement, but he didn't grant an answer to it. But subconsciously he had started to bite his lip, and his arms – which had been crossed the entire time – tightened their hold.

All of these Officer Kirkland took as a sign in the affirmative, and he decided to continue.

"Could you give me an example of how they hurt you?" Officer Kirkland asked.

"What does it matter?" Lovino asked. "And why the hell do you even care? Aren't you supposed to be looking into those murders or something?"

Officer Kirkland sighed.

"The fact that all three of the victims were your bullies is cause for concern," the officer said.

At the mention of the word 'victims', Lovino scoffed. Officer Kirkland took note of this, but didn't comment.

"You should understand that it's all very suspicious," Officer Kirkland said.

"So, you think that one of _us_ killed them?" Lovino asked incredulously. "If we were capable of fighting back, let alone _that_ , do you think we would have let it go on for that long?"

"I'm not accusing you," Kirkland said. "I just think that it's a little odd. And the other officers might think that you _did_ have a hand in it. You especially would be suspicious, if they looked into your uncles Luciano and Flavio."

Lovino flinched a little at the mention of his uncles. The uncles involved with the mafia…

"I'm just trying to help you and your friends," Kirkland continued. "I want this bullying to stop."

Lovino snorted.

"Have you tried telling the teachers?" Kirkland asked.

"They won't do anything," Lovino said. "They're useless. The only time they really interfere is if they see it happening. And those bastards can talk their way out of it. And there are a lot of teachers that just don't _want_ to help."

"How can you say that?"

"Because I _saw_ it. I _heard_ it. There was this one that outright said that I deserved everything _they_ do to me."

Lovino was trying _very_ hard not to yell at the officer. He was aware of the fact that he was in a busy restaurant, and that many of the people in there kept their eyes on him. He could especially feel his grandfather's glare, though he wouldn't acknowledge it.

Officer Kirkland stared at him for a moment before he sighed.

"I think I understand why you don't want my help," Kirkland said. "You've lost your faith in authority figures. What about your grandfather?"

"He doesn't believe me," Lovino grumbled. "He thinks that I misjudge people's reactions from my 'rudeness'. That if people give me grief, it's because of my 'foul attitude'."

"And I'm assuming that you weren't always like this?"

Lovino shook his head.

"You have your walls up," Kirkland said.

"What, are you a shrink now?" Lovino asked cynically.

Kirkland's mouth twitched.

"I did have some basic psychology," he said. "It's one of the reasons why I was deemed to work in law enforcement in a town that's predominantly teenagers. And I have four sons, after all."

Lovino looked at the table, trying to avoid the officer's eyes.

"Do you always wear long-sleeved shirts?" Kirkland asked.

Lovino stiffened, before he nodded his head.

"Is it what I think it is?" the officer asked.

Lovino nodded.

"I-it's been a while," he said. "I-I… If it wasn't for my friends…"

The officer stared at him for a while before he sighed.

"I really regret that this happened," Kirkland said. "But it's still not too late. Please, let me help you and your friends."

"Why now?" Lovino asked. "Why the hell is it so important to help us _now_? You have those murders to look into. And the fact that you keep sticking your nose in our business makes me think that you think _we_ did that, and you're trying _so_ hard to stop more murders. That's what this is about, isn't it? And when the _actual_ murderer is caught, you won't give a fuck about me or my friends anymore. We're not relevant to your case anymore."

Kirkland exhaled sharply, and Lovino knew that the officer was trying hard to keep his own temper in check.

"Vlad already turned you down," Lovino said. "And unless Feliks or Matteo accept your offer, _I_ won't accept it. Whenever _I_ ask for help, I've always been disappointed. Why should I think that this time would be different?"

The officer's expression and posture softened, and Lovino could see that he had managed to prevent a potentially ugly scene.

Not that anyone would recognise, appreciate or acknowledge it.

"The police don't care about a couple of kids getting bullied," Lovino said. "Only when one of the kids slits his wrist or hangs himself will you do anything about it. Only when it's too late."

Kirkland sighed.

"I understand how you feel," Kirkland said. "But don't think of me as a police officer. Think of me as a father of someone your age who just wants to help his son's classmates."

Lovino swallowed a lump in his throat, feeling his eyes sting yet again. He looked up at the officer.

"Are we done here?" Lovino asked.

Kirkland sighed, before he nodded.

"I suppose we are," he said. "But please, if you change your mind, give me a call."

Lovino hesitated, before he nodded his head. The officer gave a small smile.

"I hope the next time we see each other, it wouldn't be under such grim circumstances," Kirkland said.

"I guess," Lovino said, shrugging his shoulders.

The officer left, and Lovino waited for a moment before he also left, remembering what his grandfather had told him. He glanced towards him, but Romulus was busy with a customer. He wondered if he would ask him about it. Perhaps then, he would believe him about the bullying.

…He wasn't getting his hopes up.

Shaking his head, Lovino left the restaurant, wondering what he would do for the rest of the afternoon.

He supposed that he should visit Matthew and Vlad, just to see how they're doing. Of course, if Alfred was around, visiting Matthew would be difficult.

So, Vlad's house it was.

The restaurant was located in the shopping district, with the mall on the other side of the town. So Lovino would have to travel halfway through the town in order to get to Vlad's house. He decided to walk, wanting to let off some steam after the afternoon that he had had.

He wasn't _angry_ , just… hurt.

He could completely understand how Vlad had felt with those harsh rumours. To be unjustly accused of something you didn't do, and a _crime_ , for that matter… And the worst part was the fact that people believed they would _actually_ do something like that.

And his grandfather…

" _What did you do?"_

His grandfather always thought the worst of him. Never Feliciano or Marcello. It was always something that _Lovino_ did. _Lovino_ was the one that was mean to his brothers, and Romulus never cared to notice that it was simply lashing out. That there was something deeply disturbing his eldest grandson. And Lovino could do _nothing_ right. He was the klutz that would spill all of the food on himself, and he wouldn't even listen when he tried to tell him that he had been tripped.

He wondered idly what sort of drastic measure he would need to take before his grandfather would open his eyes to the truth.

He was lurched out of his grim thoughts when he was pulled into a gap between two buildings. It wasn't quite an alley, since it was too small, but even more dangerous, since it would be harder for anyone to see him in there.

He had a few choice words for whoever pulled him in when they died in his throat.

Even though the person standing in front of him didn't go out of his way too often to make their lives hell, he still liked to use them as a means to let off some steam. And unfortunately, he was one of the most sadistic people among that group.

And he was _pissed_.


	12. Chapter 11

**Thanks to SweetHoneyBee, Olivia Kirkland, Zaaze, Kattie, ScandinavianTrash, RandomObsession123, and an anon for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 11**

Lovino stared wide-eyed at Kyo, whose red eyes were narrowed menacingly. Lovino didn't want to know what happened, but he had a feeling that he would find out very soon.

Kyo cocked his head to the side, pinning Lovino firmly against the wall. The Italian was starting to panic, but he knew that if he attempted to scream, the Japanese would hurt him in a particularly painful way. And particularly cruel.

Kyo was the only one that had caught on to what Lovino's and Matthew's curls were. It was actually pretty funny when the two realised it themselves. But Kyo took pleasure in exploiting it. It was a very sensitive place, and while it could potentially be used for pleasure someday, Kyo made sure that it brought nothing but pain, and that the pain would last for quite a while.

When he had learned that Allen had been sexually harassing Feliks, Lovino had felt enraged, partly because what Kyo did to him and Matthew could _also_ count as sexual harassment. But it would be a lot harder to explain that it was due to an unruly hair strand.

Matthew would come to him whenever he would have a run-in with Kyo. Lovino was the only one that he could speak to about it. Lovino was the only one that understood, that wasn't an enemy. Lovino was the only one that could comfort him.

But now Lovino was the one at Kyo's mercy, and he only hoped that he'd be able to escape without pain and with what little dignity he had left intact.

"One of my best friends is dead," Kyo said. "And my instincts tell me that somehow, you and your friends are involved."

"Y-your instincts a-are w-wrong," Lovino stuttered. "W-we d-didn't d-do a-anything."

Kyo smiled coldly.

"I know that _you_ wouldn't do anything," Kyo said. "You're too much of a coward. The same with Mattie and Liksie. But Vlad… He's new. We don't know enough about him yet. We don't know how… _stable_ he is. He might be hiding something dark and sinister."

"That's a-a lie!" Lovino said.

"I know that he's in the magic club," Kyo hissed. "And I know that Artie and Lukie don't simply let people in. I wonder… Do you think they've grown bold? That they might have done some summoning in their arrogance? It's something they would do in such a club, isn't it?"

Lovino's breath hitched, and Kyo's smile widened.

"Y-you believe those r-rumours…" Lovino whispered.

"Not entirely," Kyo said. "But it _did_ pique my curiosity."

"Vlad didn't d-do anything!"

"How can you be sure? How can you be sure that he wouldn't try something like that? He wouldn't tell you if he _did_ , would he?"

Lovino trembled, but he didn't say anything. He wondered if Vlad _would_ tell him something like that.

"W-what d-do you w-want?" Lovino stuttered.

"Two things," Kyo said. "First, you will find out from your little friend what he's been up to. Ask him if he ever tried summoning something. Something he wasn't supposed to. Pry the information out of him, if you have to. But I don't think you'll have to try too hard. He's your _friend_. He'll tell you with enough probing."

Lovino swallowed nervously.

"H-how do you e-even know that h-he's _in_ the m-magic club?" Lovino asked.

"I'm observant," Kyo said. "I saw him walking into their clubroom. And he didn't immediately leave, which tells me that he's a member of their club."

"And… what's the o-other thing y-you w-want?"

Kyo smirked, and Lovino knew that he shouldn't have asked.

"Like I said, one of my best friends was killed," Kyo said. "I still haven't had a chance to work through his death. And since you've so _conveniently_ come…"

Lovino gasped, and in a few fluid movements Kyo had one hand wrapped around his throat, while the other had a hold of his curl. The fingers twisted around, having a firm grip, before they started to tug and twist.

Lovino gritted his teeth as Kyo pulled harder. He could feel the pain throughout his body, and he found that his movements became difficult. And each time Kyo tugged harder or his grip around Lovino's throat tightened, he felt his muscles lock together.

This was why Kyo was one of the worst. He knew just how to hurt him in a way that would make it hard to move for some time. Already he could feel his muscles going slack, and a part of him was glad that Kyo had him pinned to the wall, but another part felt extremely uncomfortable. Which was what the Japanese was going for.

He would not only leave Lovino unable to move, but utterly humiliated.

As the torture continued, Lovino started to black out. Though it was hard to tell with his eyes clenched shut.

…

Kyo's eyes widened when Lovino's eyes snapped open, except… His eyes were _red_.

"Shit," Kyo whispered, releasing the Italian, whose hand shot out to grip his wrist with a bruising grip.

"You want to know if something was summoned," Lovino said coldly. "The answer is 'yes'… and 'no'. You and those like you are the reason why we're here."

"Let go!" Kyo said, desperately trying to tug his arm free.

"Not so fun when you're the one on the receiving end, is it?"

Kyo grunted when he was pinned to the wall, Lovino's hand clamped on his mouth.

"Ashes to ashes," Lovino said. "Dust to dust."

And Kyo started to scream as his body was gripped in pain. Lovino simply stared unblinking as Kyo started to decompose right in front of him. Within a minute, only the skeleton remained, before it turned to dust.

Lovino watched all of this calmly, and the wind swept the dust away. Kyo was one of the cruellest bullies, and now he had suffered one of the cruellest deaths. At least the others would have a corpse. Everyone knew what had happened to the others. Kyo wasn't afforded that luxury.

Lovino stepped out into the street, continuing towards his previous destination. All the while, he was thinking about what had happened.

All four of them had blood on their hands now. All four of them had killed one of their bullies. Each a personal tormentor.

Feliks had killed Allen, who liked to sexually harass him. Carlos was killed by Matthew, his favourite punching bag. Vlad had killed Sadiq, who had singled him out and had been particularly cruel to him the last few days. And Lovino had killed Kyo, who liked to torture Matthew and Lovino alike.

The second step was complete. And now the third step could begin.

…

Feliks was watching a movie when he suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his skull. He hissed, hand reaching up to the affected area. What was _that_ about?

He shook his head, pausing the movie and going to his kitchen to grab a glass of water. And once in the kitchen, he realised that he was feeling peckish, so he decided to make a snack for himself as well.

As he fixed himself a sandwich, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to the window. He had the feeling that there was something out there, and he hesitated before he stepped closer.

Seeing nothing outside, he shrugged before finishing his sandwich and returning to finish the movie as well.

…

Vlad jolted awake. He could sense something coming. Something… familiar. Something _evil._

He jumped slightly when there was a knock on his front door, and he hesitated for a moment before going to answer it, only to sigh in relief when he saw Lovino.

Lovino raised an eyebrow at this, before walking into Vlad's house. Vlad rolled his eyes, smile on his face, as he closed the door.

"Normally, one waits until one's invited before entering someone else's house," Vlad said as he followed Lovino to the living room.

"Yeah, well, what if you're at a friend's house after having a shitty day?" Lovino asked, sitting on the couch.

"What happened?" Vlad asked, sitting next to the Italian.

Lovino didn't answer immediately, but Vlad was patient. Eventually he sighed.

"Officer Kirkland came to the restaurant earlier," Lovino said. "He offered 'help' and shit, but the only reason why he's interested is because he thinks it's related to the murders."

Vlad nodded his head.

"That's also why I don't want to accept his help," he said. "If he comes back with the offer _after_ it's all over… But I don't think he suspects us."

"He mentioned how it's suspicious that all three victims are those assholes," Lovino said.

"He's aware of magic. He said that his wife and sons told him what they sensed, and he had sensed something as well."

Lovino grew silent, and Vlad turned to him.

"It's more than that, isn't it?" Vlad asked.

Lovino was silent for another moment.

"My grandpa put me on kitchen duty, after giving me yesterday off," Lovino explained. "He didn't want me interacting with the customers, because I fell and spilled an entire order over myself on Monday. I was tripped by the Bad Touch Bastards, but my grandpa doesn't want to believe me that I was tripped. To him, I'm just a useless klutz who ruins everything."

"I'm sure that's not true," Vlad tried to console.

"When Kirkland came, my nonno immediately asked 'what did you do _this_ time?'. I've never done _anything_ that would bring the police! And he just assumed that I did something. And before I went to Kirkland, he told me that I should just go home. He treats me like all I ever do is fuck things up. I can't take it anymore."

Tears were streaming down Lovino's face, and he bit his lip.

"He treats Feliciano like some kind of golden child, and Marcello like an angel," Lovino said. "And _me_? I'm the fucking black sheep. I'm the _useless_ , unwanted grandson. The one that would of _course_ do something illegal. He doesn't even bother to listen to a fucking word I say."

Vlad's expression was sad as he placed his hand on Lovino's shoulder. The Italian inhaled sharply, before he leaned closer to the Romanian.

"Just tell me what I have to do to make him see," Lovino said. "That I'm his grandson too."

"Have you tried talking about it with him?" Vlad asked.

"Looks like someone _else_ can't listen," Lovino said bitterly. "I told you, he doesn't listen to anything I have to say."

Vlad could say nothing as he decided to hold Lovino. The Italian cried into his chest, and Vlad calmly stroked the other's back.

"You love your family, don't you?" Vlad asked gently.

"Of course I do," Lovino said. "They just don't love _me_. I'm nothing to them."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"It is. If it wasn't, then why don't my fratelli try to stand up for me when nonno's criticising me? Why does my nonno always think the worst of me? What do I have to _do_?"

Vlad sighed.

"You should just be yourself," Vlad said. "Your grandpa needs to realise that you're different from your brothers. And in time, I'm sure he'll be able to see the person that I see."

"And who's that?" Lovino asked.

"Someone thoughtful. When we first met, you were the one that decided what I would like to eat. You didn't just decide at random. And it turned out to be a delicious meal."

"That wasn't thoughtfulness," Lovino said glumly. "That was just a coincidence."

"You helped me buy some new décor for my house. You drove us to the mall, even though you knew that your grandpa would get upset at you for going to the mall on a Sunday. And you helped clean my house. If you weren't thoughtful, you would have just lounged around, or not come by at all."

Lovino sniffed.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"You're actually pretty funny," Vlad said.

"In what way am I 'funny'?"

"Your sense of humour is dry and sarcastic, but it's still there. Not a lot of people would be able to pick up on it. And then there's the whole 'stamina' thing in gym class. You're sharp-tongued and quick-witted. And if I could see it after only a week, then I'm sure the people that have known you for longer could see it too."

"Not my nonno," Lovino said.

"Then forget about him. The only thing that matters is that you stay true to yourself. And if people can't accept you for who you are, then you don't need them in your life."

Lovino chuckled, before he sat up, hugging Vlad.

"You know, I actually came to check up on you," Lovino said. "So, sorry I bothered you with all my shit."

Vlad smiled.

"See?" he asked. "Thoughtful."

Lovino smiled, before the smile fell. He had a confused expression on his face.

"You know, I can't help but wonder something," Lovino said. "With your magic… Did you… I mean…"

"Did I what?" Vlad asked.

"Did you… ever summon a demon? Or something?"

Vlad tensed, and Lovino turned to look at him.

"Did you?" Lovino asked.

"…Once," Vlad admitted. "It was an accident. My mother had to help me get rid of it."

"What did it want?" Lovino asked.

"I don't know. All I know is that I'm _never_ going to attempt something like that again."

"…Do you think that that's what's been killing those bastards?"

"I don't think so. It feels different."

"Can you sense them?"

"Da."

"You'll tell me if you sense something like that again, right?"

"Of course. I'll tell you of any danger. And I can tell you now that whatever's been killing them isn't human."

"I figured. You kind of gave the clue earlier."

"Quick-witted."

Lovino rolled his eyes.

"If only my nonno could see what you see," Lovino said.

"It's not just me," Vlad said. "Matthew and Feliks can see it too."

Lovino smiled softly, before he stood.

"I guess I should probably go back home now," Lovino said. "Before my nonno finds another reason to be disappointed in me."

Vlad stood up as well, and Lovino was on his way to the front door when he stopped, quickly leaning against the wall. Vlad rushed to his side.

"Are you okay?" Vlad asked.

"Y-yeah," Lovino whispered. "Just… dizzy, all of the sudden."

"Come sit down," Vlad said, draping Lovino's arm over his shoulders and guiding him back to the living room.

He helped Lovino sit down, and he winced when he saw the Italian's face.

"You're really pale," Vlad said. "I'll be right back."

Vlad made his way to the kitchen, where he quickly poured a glass of water, and then mixed sugar in the water. He then returned to the living room and handed the glass to Lovino.

Lovino stared at the glass for a moment before he took a few gulps. He cringed at the taste, but soon he had finished until only half the contents remained.

"Better?" Vlad asked.

"I don't know," Lovino said. "I'm just… going to rest a while…"

Vlad nodded, and watched as Lovino lay down on the couch. Soon enough, he was asleep.

Vlad sighed, running his hand through his hair. He knew that he needed to keep a watch over Lovino, but his own bed was calling him. His eyes drifted towards the loveseat, and he had a plan.

He went to his bedroom and grabbed his comforter, then went to the hall closet to grab a spare blanket. His friends had warned him that there was a chance they might decide to spend the night, and so they had each contributed to get their own blankets and pillows at Vlad's house.

Vlad had to smile at Lovino's blanket. It had a cartoon tomato giving a thumbs-up, with a bunch of smaller tomatoes in the background. He had decided not to comment on it, knowing that Lovino would be defensive and wouldn't be upfront about it. But it just showed Lovino's soft side, which other people tended to ignore.

Vlad returned to the living room and draped the tomato blanket over Lovino, before taking his comforter and lying down on the loveseat. It didn't take long before he followed his friend into dreamland.

…

Vlad was jolted awake by a jaunty tune being played. He glanced towards Lovino, realising it was the latter's phone, which was still in his pocket.

Vlad hesitated for a moment, but seeing that his friend wasn't waking up, he quickly made his way to the other, pulling the blanket away and searching his pockets.

He noticed that Lovino and his blanket were both completely soaked, and Lovino was paler than before, except for his cheeks, which were flushed. Fishing the phone out of his pocket, Vlad quickly glanced at the screen, seeing 'Nonno' as the caller-ID, and answering while he placed his hand against Lovino's forehead.

"Where the hell are you?" Romulus Vargas's voice rang out, and Vlad winced at the sound.

"Um, this is Vlad," Vlad said. "I'm a friend of Lovino's. I just moved here."

He heard a sigh on the other end.

"Sorry about that," Romulus said. "Is Lovi nearby?"

"He's passed out on my couch," Vlad said. "He came to check up on me because I'm sick, but it looks like he's sick as well. He's got a fever, and it doesn't look like he's waking up anytime soon."

"Where do you live?" Romulus asked, sounding worried.

"Sixteen Rose Drive," Vlad said.

"Alright, I'll be there soon. Thanks."

"No problem."

After Romulus hung up, Vlad turned to Lovino. He placed the phone on the coffee table before going to the kitchen to get a cold compress. After returning and placing it on Lovino's forehead, Vlad went to get his own phone, calling Feliks.

"Like, what's up?" Feliks asked on the other end.

"Stay home tomorrow," Vlad said. "Lovino's sick as well, and will most likely stay at home tomorrow too. I don't want you to be alone with _them_."

Feliks was silent on the other end.

"Thanks for telling me," Feliks said. "Like, yeah. I guess it wouldn't be fun without the rest of you like there. You guys should totally feel better, alright?"

Vlad hung up soon after, returning to the living room. And now he had to wait.

 **This week was my graduation ceremony. I officially have a college degree now, and now I'm doing my honours. If any francophones would like to help me, I'd appreciate it (I'm doing the French honours).**


	13. Chapter 12

**Thanks to Mondmaedchen, ToolboxHDR, Zaaze, Kattie, Olivia Kirkland, SweetHoneyBee, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary and ScandinavianTrash for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 12**

Vlad had started to doze again, but was yanked awake by the sound of someone knocking on the door. He glanced towards Lovino, seeing that he looked flushed and that his breathing was slightly erratic. Vlad stood from his chair and went to answer the door.

Of course, he had seen Romulus Vargas before, but he had never been introduced. Romulus eyed him up and down briefly.

"Are you… Vlad?" Romulus asked.

"Da," Vlad said. "And I know I look strange. It's genetic. Just ask my mom and little brother."

Romulus actually cracked up a little, before turning serious.

"Lovino?" he questioned.

"Yeah," Vlad said. "This way."

Vlad led the way to the living room, and Romulus's eyes widened when he saw his grandson.

"I told him to go home," Romulus whispered.

"And his brothers?" Vlad asked. "Were _they_ home?"

"No."

"Then, if he'd gone home, there would be no one to look after him once he passed out. He could have been lying there for hours."

Romulus sighed.

"You're probably right," he said. "But he didn't look sick in the restaurant."

"We think it's some sort of delayed reaction," Vlad said. "The four of us systematically got sick. Lovino is the last."

"What exactly did you do to get sick?"

Vlad didn't answer, and Romulus went to pick up his grandson.

"Do you love him?" Vlad asked.

"What?" Romulus asked, surprised. "Of course I do."

"Then tell _him_ that," Vlad said gently. "He feels as though you don't love him. That he's the unwanted, useless grandson."

"That's not true."

"Then tell him that. _Show_ him that. Before it's too late."

Romulus stared at his grandson in his arms, not saying anything. At last he sighed, looking at Vlad.

"All right," Romulus said. "I guess I _have_ been neglecting to show Lovi that I care."

Vlad smiled, following the Italian to the door. Romulus turned back to Vlad, a small smile on his face.

"Thanks for taking care of him," Romulus said.

"It was no problem," Vlad said. "He would have done the same for me."

Romulus hesitated, before he shook his head. He then made his way to his car, and Vlad watched him place Lovino in the passenger seat. He waited until Romulus drove off before closing the door.

Vlad sighed, leaning against the door. Why did Romulus look so hesitant when Vlad said that Lovino would do the same for him? Was Lovino right? Did Romulus believe the worst of him?

Vlad shook his head, stifling a yawn. It wasn't that late yet, but he was still sick, which left him feeling drained. He needed to get back to bed and sleep off his sickness.

As soon as he entered his room, however, he felt a chill. And he knew that this chill wasn't associated with his health. There was something in the room with him. Something malevolent.

He jumped when the door closed behind him, and he whirled around, frantically trying to open it again. He felt something behind him and he froze. A cold voice chuckled darkly.

"Alone at last," the voice said.

A very _familiar_ voice.

…

Romulus placed his grandson on his bed. He was a little worried that Lovino hadn't woken up through all of that. Sure, all three of his grandsons were heavy sleepers, but Lovino usually responded to movement. He didn't really like it if people tried to touch him when he was sleeping.

Romulus loved all three his grandsons, but he couldn't help but find Lovino to be difficult. But did he really think that Romulus didn't love him? Did Romulus really give him reason to think that?

Lovino whimpered, shaking Romulus from his thoughts. There would be plenty of time to mend their relationship later. For now, Romulus needed to take care of his grandson, starting with his clothes.

Lovino's fever had caused him to be completely soaked in sweat. It didn't help that Lovino wore a long-sleeved shirt. Romulus didn't understand why he insisted on doing that. But Romulus would have to remove it. It probably wasn't very healthy.

Once the shirt had been removed, however, Romulus understood why Lovino only wore long-sleeved shirts, and his guilt grew.

Lovino's arms were covered with pink and white lines. He had no idea that his eldest grandson was hurting himself like this. Thankfully, it didn't look as though any of them were new.

Romulus usually didn't acknowledge Lovino's friends, Matthew and Feliks. Matthew was far too timid. He had always believed that Matthew had been bullied into being Lovino's friend. And Feliks… he was a little odd. And he was nonchalant, to the point where Romulus thought that he might be a bad influence on Lovino, or vice versa. Was it possible that they were the reason why none of the scars on Lovino's arms looked recent?

Romulus thought back to Vlad. Vlad was sick himself, but he still tried to take care of Lovino. And Lovino had apparently gone to check on Vlad. Were they closer than Romulus thought? Was their friendship genuine?

"You remain a mystery," Romulus muttered.

Romulus quickly finished changing his grandson into his pyjamas, before he tucked him into bed. And through it all, Lovino remained asleep.

If it continued like that, then he would probably need to call the doctor the following day.

Romulus brushed a few stray strands of hair away from his grandson's forehead, before he placed a gentle kiss there.

"Sweet dreams, Lovi," Romulus whispered. "I love you."

He left his grandson in his room, promising that he would frequently check up on him.

…

"You," Vlad whispered.

The demon that he had told Lovino about. The one that he had accidentally summoned… In his room. Leering at him.

The demon had a humanoid figure, except for his black skin, which resembled smoke. And anyone that tried to touch the demon without the use of magic would find him to be incorporeal. His red eyes were staring at Vlad, a wide grin on his face.

"W-what do you want?" Vlad asked.

"A body," the demon said. "Specifically, _yours_. So much magical potential. And your soul has recently become dark. And your body is too weak to resist me. I wonder if I should get my friends to take the bodies of _your_ friends. They're all equally as weak, and their souls are equally as dark."

"Stay away from them!" Vlad snapped.

"Not to worry. I don't stray from my targets. And I've had my eye on you since the first time we met, and if your _mother_ hadn't interfered, I would have had you by now. But no one will stop me this time."

Vlad was trembling in fear. The demon was right. There was no one around, and he was too weak to fight back.

"What are you going to do?" Vlad whispered.

"The usual," the demon said. "Chaos and destruction. It's been so long since I've had a body which I can use to kill."

As the demon drew closer Vlad closed his eyes. He hated himself for being so weak. And now, because of his weakness, many more people would most likely die.

He was waiting for the moment when the demon would take control, and to his surprise nothing seemed to happen. In fact, he could actually feel the demon draw back, and he tentatively opened his eyes.

"Interesting," the demon mused. "It seems I'm too late. There's no vacancy."

…

Kiku was growing worried. Kyo hadn't returned home yet. Sure, his brother had never been the nicest person in the world, but he usually informed Kiku if he was going to be late.

He tried calling him again, though there was no answer. There had already been three murders that happened in the town – actually, the school – in the same week. And it was only Wednesday. Kyo should have known better than to let Kiku worry.

He would wait a while longer. If he hadn't heard from Kyo by the time school ended the next day, he would go to the police.

He had to.

…

"W-what do you mean?" Vlad asked.

"Oh, you hadn't noticed?" the demon asked, growing amused. "Your body is already hosting a demonic presence. A very extraordinary case, I must say."

Vlad felt his stomach drop.

"It… It can't be true," he said.

"Oh, but it is," the demon said. "A demon wearing your skin, making you do things without your knowledge."

"Liar!"

"Then tell me: have there been any strange happenings in this town recently? Anything to suggest that evil had been at work?"

Vlad hesitated. Yes. There were the murders. The demon picked up on the hesitation and smiled.

"Any lapses in memory?" the demon asked.

"Please stop," Vlad whispered.

"What should I stop? I'm not doing anything. I haven't _done_ anything. But I wonder if _you_ did."

"Shut up!" Vlad said, louder. "It… It can't be true."

"Oh, but it is. If you doubt it, then perhaps you would want to visit some forgotten memories."

Vlad sank to the ground, and the demon chuckled.

"I wonder how things would turn out," the demon said. "After all, this is beyond what usually happens. I've heard about cases like yours, but never thought I'd have the pleasure of seeing it happen for myself."

Vlad glared at the demon.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

"You will see soon enough," the demon said. "I'm not even mad that I can't use your body. Something far better had come along."

And before Vlad could ask more, the demon vanished. Vlad took a deep breath, as though the air had suddenly become cleaner, and he could also feel the temperature rise.

But now he had bigger things to worry about.

There was a demon already living inside of him. One that made the demon that had hunted him down for the sole purpose of possessing his body back off, wanting to see what happened. And Vlad knew that _that_ meant trouble.

First order of business was to prepare a memory charm. And he didn't care what would happen, he needed to extract those memories.

Knowing what would be required for the memory charm, he set about to make preparations.

…

Matthew leaned against the toilet bowl, his mother's hand rubbing soothing circles on his back. It wasn't fun, emptying the contents of your stomach. At least his mother was sympathetic, unlike his brother.

Heaven knew what would have happened if he had lived alone with Alfred.

"My poor boy," Megan Williams whispered. "How did this happen?"

Matthew shrugged.

"You say the nurse booked you off for the rest of the week?" she asked, to which he nodded. "Then get some rest. If you need anything, just call out for me, alright?"

"Okay," Matthew said hoarsely.

…

Vlad took a deep, cleansing breath, sitting in the middle of a circle of candles. There was a line of blood on his forehead, courtesy of a cut on his thumb. He closed his eyes, muttering the incantation for the memory charm and focusing on what happened while he and Matthew were on their way to the library, trying not to focus on the thought of Matthew having seen it.

" _I'm thirsty."_

 _Sadiq was standing in front of him, looking at him with some fear._

" _So, you're going to drink my blood?" Sadiq asked._

" _Again, you seem to mistake us for a vampire," Vlad, or rather the creature speaking through him, said. "I'm not thirsty for blood. I'm thirsty for_ revenge _."_

 _Vlad's fist launched itself at Sadiq's chest, breaking through the flesh. Vlad grabbed the heart, and delicately pulled it out. Sadiq's face was twisted in pain, but pain turned to horror when he saw his heart so casually in Vlad's hand._

" _I don't know why you have this thing," Vlad said. "You obviously never use it."_

" _P-please," Sadiq said, growing paler. It might have been the fear, pain or blood loss doing it._

" _Are you honestly begging me for mercy?" Vlad asked. "Would there have come a day when I begged, only for you to deny it to me as you continue your torture? Would_ you _ever have granted me mercy?"_

" _Yes!"_

" _Liar."_

 _Vlad crushed the heart, and Sadiq screamed in pain. His body spasmed as it fell to the floor. Vlad completely crushed the heart before shaking the remains off his hand._

 _He looked to the side, where Matthew had done the same to Carlos. He arched an eyebrow curiously._

" _Wouldn't you rather do something original?" Vlad asked._

" _Are you upset?" Matthew asked, turning to regard him._

" _Not mad. Just curious."_

 _Matthew shrugged, looking down at the corpse._

" _I don't care, as long as he's dead," Matthew said._

" _I understand," Vlad said. "Why don't we leave a message for the others?"_

 _Matthew stood aside as some of the blood drifted upwards, acting as ink as words were formed on the ceiling._

' _Heartless monsters get what they deserve.'_

" _We better go now," Matthew said._

" _Yes," Vlad said. "Now we just have to wait for Decay."_

" _You're right. And then the four of us can go on to the next step."_

Vlad gasped as the memory ended. He was trembling violently, and he was drenched in sweat.

 _He_ had killed Sadiq. And Matthew… Matthew was in the same boat as him. Matthew was also possessed. But what did he mean by the four of them?

Thinking back on what happened that Monday, the truth hit Vlad. Allen had been killed. He had seen Allen's corpse, right after Feliks had left the bathroom. And the last thing that Feliks remembered was Allen harassing him.

Feliks was also possessed. _He_ had killed Allen.

And the fourth… Lovino! Lovino was also possessed. But he hadn't killed yet. Unless…

Thinking about it, he realised that he, Feliks and Matthew had all gotten sick around the time of the murders. Before the bodies were found, but after they had been killed. Which meant that the fact that they were feeling sick… It was the demons' work.

The demons using their powers while in their bodies must have been what was making them sick.

Lovino had gotten sick. Could it be possible that there was a fourth victim?

Vlad's stomach dropped. Lovino had killed as well.

He hoped that he was wrong. He hoped that Lovino was innocent.

But he could finally understand why each of the victims was one of their bullies. Because _they_ were the killers.

But there was something else that disturbed him. When seeing Sadiq's murder… he had a sick thrill. And while he could blame it on the demon's influence, he knew that it was actually _him_ that enjoyed it.

Vlad hugged himself. This was horrible. This couldn't be what was happening. He _couldn't_ be possessed by a demon. And his friends as well…

At least he didn't have to worry about the demon inside him harming his friends. It seemed as though the demons inside him and Matthew were friends. They… they wouldn't hurt each other.

But he realised that he was way over his head. There was no way that he could stop this on his own. He hadn't been able to stop that other demon without his mother's help. And the demon inside him was making him sick. It was keeping him weak.

He needed to get help.

He couldn't contact his mother. She would be concerned about it. He didn't want her to know about it. He didn't want to worry her. He didn't want to scare her.

He would need to ask Lukas and Arthur's help. They might be able to find something. They could help him.

He reached for his cell phone, but before he could grab it his hand froze. His eyes widened, and he was pushed back by an invisible force.

" _I wouldn't do it if I were you."_

He gasped. The demon…

"Get out of my head," Vlad said.

" _That's going to be impossible."_

"What do you want?" Vlad whimpered.

The demon was silent, and Vlad burst into tears. It was clear that the demon wouldn't allow him to contact Arthur or Lukas. And while he had no intention of doing what it wanted, he didn't want to test its anger.

Without consciously thinking about it, Vlad made his way to his bed. He lay down, and he realised that the demon was the one to blame.

" _Sleep."_

Vlad found himself unable to resist, and without meaning to, he started to drift off.

…

Feliks yawned, running his fingers through his hair. He had just come out of the bath, and the warm water and the steam had made him quite sleepy.

He was kind of glad that Vlad had told him that they wouldn't be going to school the next day. It meant that he could take it easy.

But he was worried about his friends. It would seem that at the present time, he was the healthiest of their group. He decided that he would pay them a visit the next day.

 _After_ school, of course. He didn't want to be caught by anyone that would demand why he wasn't in school.

Then again, going _during_ school might be a lot safer. There wouldn't really be the risk of running into any of _them_. Especially when visiting Matthew. He wouldn't have to deal with Alfred. And he had a feeling that, now that Arthur broke off their friendship, Alfred would be more than hostile.

He might want to ask Matthew how Alfred was before he went to visit him. He didn't want to have to find out the hard way that Alfred was more than angry, and looking for someone to take it out on.

…

"Leave me alone, Al," Matthew said weakly.

"You know, I don't buy this whole 'being sick' thing," Alfred said. "I think you just want to stay home tomorrow. Got a guilty conscience?"

Matthew glared at Alfred.

"That's what I'd like to hear from _you_ ," Matthew said. "Does it ever occur to you that what you're doing to us is horrible?"

Alfred was silent, before storming off. Matthew sighed, settling back under the covers and rubbing his arm.

 _Did_ Alfred feel guilty about the things they'd do? Or did he hate Matthew too much?


	14. Chapter 13

**Thanks to Alans, Zaaze, Kattie, Olivia Kirkland, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, ScandinavianTrash and ToolboxHDR for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 13**

Lovino scrunched his eyes before opening them. He had a splitting headache, and he brought his hands to his eyes to shield them from the light.

It took him a while to try to uncover his eyes, and he noted dully that he was in his room. It didn't occur to him that he should have been curious about the location. He turned to his alarm clock, and bolted upright.

He should have been at school an hour ago! He was so late. His grandfather would kill him!

And what about Feliks?

He couldn't allow him to go to school alone! Those bastards would tear him apart! He needed to save his friend.

He got dressed in record time and bolted towards the front door.

"Where are you going?"

Lovino stopped dead, turning to face his grandfather. Instead of the angry look he had expected, there was an unreadable expression on his face that he thought was another form of expressing his anger.

"I'm going to school," Lovino said. "Sorry I overslept."

Romulus sighed.

"Go back to bed, Lovino," Romulus said.

Lovino was startled, and he must have looked so, because Romulus approached him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Lovino unintentionally flinched, and he had a feeling his grandfather was aware of it, though didn't comment on it.

"Your friend Vlad called me last night," Romulus explained. "He said that you got sick when you were with him, and passed out."

Lovino was surprised for a bunch of reasons. First, his grandfather acknowledged that he had a friend. Second, he passed out. Third, he wasn't at his own home when it happened.

Romulus started to lead Lovino to his bedroom, and the younger Italian snapped out of his stupor enough to think of one pressing question.

"H-how did I get in my pyjamas?" Lovino asked.

"I changed you," Romulus said. "Just like old times."

Lovino paled at the revelation, and he forced his body to a stop. Romulus turned to him with another unreadable look. After staring for a moment, the older Italian sighed.

"Si," Romulus said. "I saw them. That's what you're worried about, isn't it?"

Lovino averted his eyes, and Romulus threw his arm around his shoulders.

"Lovino, I am _so_ sorry," Romulus said.

Out of all the things he expected his grandfather to say, _that_ wasn't it.

"W-what?" Lovino stuttered.

Romulus sighed, wrapping his arm around his grandson's shoulders in a hug.

"Lovino, if I ever made you feel that you're unloved, I'm really sorry," Romulus said.

Lovino bowed his head.

"Vlad told you, didn't he?" Lovino asked.

"Si," Romulus said. "Don't be mad at him."

"I'm not. Vlad was just trying to help."

Romulus sighed.

"I see that I was wrong about a lot of things," Romulus said. "It's just… sometimes when I look at you, I see your uncle Luciano. I'm scared that I'm making the same mistakes again. I also thought… You were so strong. Feliciano and Marcello still need my protection. I thought that you were strong enough that you didn't. But last night, when I saw those scars, I realised that I've been leaving you to fend for yourself. That I didn't protect you when you needed it."

Lovino closed his eyes, swallowing thickly. He didn't want the tears to fall. He didn't want to look so weak. However, his grandpa managed to see right through him, since he was actually looking this time, and hugged his grandson tightly, and the dam broke loose.

"Shh," Romulus shushed, stroking his grandson's back. "It's okay. You don't have to hide anymore."

For the first time in years, Lovino cried into his grandfather's chest, a tight grip on his shirt. And those arms wrapped around him… It's been a long time since he felt them. And he could feel their desire to protect him.

Lovino didn't know how long they stayed like that, but eventually he pulled away. The arms loosened their hold, not pulling away and allowing Lovino to be the one to break the contact. He recognised the subtle message: that they would be there to hold him again when he needed it.

"Come on," Romulus said. "Let's get you to bed."

Lovino nodded, and this time he didn't fight when his grandfather led him to his room. Once inside, Romulus pulled back.

"I'll let you change," Romulus said. "And then I expect you to get back into bed. I'll come to check your temperature in an hour."

Lovino nodded his head, and Romulus left, closing the door behind him. He sighed, before he started to remove the uniform in favour of changing back into his pyjamas.

He _did_ climb back into bed, but he didn't attempt to go back to sleep, like his grandfather probably expected him to do. Instead, he cradled his cell phone, before calling Vlad's number.

He waited impatiently while the phone was ringing, and sighed in relief when it was picked up.

"Salut Lovino," Vlad said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Ciao Vampire Jerk," Lovino said. "I guess. And what about you?"

"I… I'm alright."

Lovino could hear the hesitance in Vlad's voice, but didn't comment on it.

"You told my nonno about what I told you, didn't you?" Lovino asked.

"Da. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I wanted to say… grazie. I think, for the first time… We might be able to have a healthy relationship. Or at least better than this crap one we've had all this time."

"I'm happy to hear that. Um, listen… There's something I want to talk to you about. Feliks and Matthew too."

"Si?"

"Um… I would prefer not to talk about it over the phone. If possible, could you come to my house?"

"I… don't think it's possible right now. My nonno is actually trying to pay attention to me. And I don't think he's going to let me go outside."

"…Lovino, you're Catholic, right?"

"Si, why?"

"Do you have a rosary?"

"Of course."

"Could you grab it?"

"Why?"

"I want to test something."

Lovino was surprised, but he went to his dresser where he kept the rosary. For some reason he felt a feeling of foreboding, and he didn't want to touch it, before he shook his head. It was ridiculous. Why should he be scared?

He grabbed hold of the rosary, and for a second nothing happened. He cried out in pain as his palm was suddenly burned, and he dropped the rosary.

"Lovino?" Vlad asked over the phone. "What happened?"

Lovino didn't answer at first. He was staring at his hand, which had a cross-shaped burn. He saw the burn heal itself, and his hand started to tremble.

"Lovino?"

"What's happening?" Lovino asked.

"That's what I want to talk about. I can't say over the phone. Please, if possible, come to my house."

Lovino hesitated for a moment, looking at the rosary on the dresser.

"I'll try," Lovino said.

…

Vlad cradled the phone in his hand. He didn't exactly know what happened to Lovino, but he had a feeling. If there was a demon inside him, then contact with a holy object – like a rosary – would have hurt Lovino.

And if that was the case, then that was confirmation that Lovino was also possessed. And he would have to apologise to his friend for using him as a guinea pig.

Now he just needed to get Feliks and Matthew to his house. He was thinking about trying to call Arthur or Lukas again, but school was still in session, and it wouldn't be easy to reach them, let alone get them to come.

He would wait, and hopefully he was able to call them.

For now, though, he would focus on calling Feliks. Since he lived alone, and since he wasn't sick at the moment, it would be easier for him to come to Vlad's house. And so he started scrolling through his contacts until he found Feliks's number.

"Like, hey," Feliks greeted. "What's up? Are you feeling better?"

"Da," Vlad said. "Listen, is it possible for you to come to my house? As soon as possible?"

"Like, no problem. I wanted to come check in with you guys anyway. Like, I'll be right over."

"Thanks. And… be careful."

"Like, yeah. There's a killer out there. You totally don't have to worry about me."

"Right…"

Vlad hung up, and he sighed in frustration. He actually _had_ reason to worry about Feliks, but not for the reason that the blond thought. There were _four_ killers, and Feliks was one of them. And Vlad didn't want Feliks to have any more blood on his hands.

They had to fix this. Before more lives were lost.

…

Arthur glared at Alfred's table. More rumours had spread about Vlad and his friends since none of them were at school, and Alfred was the ringleader.

His word was more 'credible', since he was the brother of one of the 'freaks'.

Arthur knew that Alfred was jealous of Matthew. It was Matthew that was invited to the school, after all. Matthew was the one that the girls considered to be cute. And Matthew was the one with more talent. Matthew was athletic, though he didn't appear so, and he was smart, with a bit of an artistic streak. Alfred had enough reason to be jealous.

But he had no reason to destroy his brother like that.

Before Matthew could try out for the hockey team – his favourite sport – Alfred sabotaged him, resulting in a missed opportunity. Alfred had started treating Matthew as though he didn't exist, and would occasionally humiliate the boy. Others saw this, and some of them joined in. Arthur didn't see it at first, but when he found out, he ignored it as sibling rivalry. He had brothers of his own. He could relate. But none of them would take it so far.

And then Matthew managed to befriend Lovino. Lovino had moved there after his grandfather had secured a place for him and his brothers. Lovino became Matthew's first friend, and Alfred at first attempted to destroy that friendship. It didn't work. Lovino was defiant.

And then Matthew's bullying became worse, and Lovino was sucked into it as well.

Alfred had made it clear to Lovino that _he_ was the reason that Matthew suffered more. And others started to follow his example, even making up a few other instances where Lovino 'ruined' someone's life. And Lovino started to take it to heart. But Matthew didn't want to leave his new friend, and Lovino couldn't stand the thought of leaving Matthew alone.

A lot of the taunts directed at Lovino was because his name somehow translated to 'to ruin'.

And then, when Feliks arrived… It became clear to everyone that he was a bit… odd. It wasn't long before Feliks was completely ostracised, with only Matthew and Lovino trying to befriend him. Out of the three, Feliks was the one that was called 'freak' the most.

And now Vlad had joined their ranks, as the 'vampire'.

"Ignore them," Lukas said.

Since Arthur had broken off his friendship with Alfred, he had opted to spend more time with Lukas. Lukas in general was a loner, with only his cousin Mathias occasionally joining (bothering) him. Though Emil, Lukas's half-brother, was sometimes present as well.

"I'm just thinking about how it all started," Arthur sighed. "Just because Alfred was jealous of his brother, the four of them are the victims of a lot of cruelty."

"I see," Lukas said. "I'll admit, it _is_ unfair."

"But do you know what the worst part is?"

"What?"

"All of the people that just _allow_ it to happen."

"Are you feeling guilty?"

Arthur nodded.

"Me too," Lukas said. "I just hope it could end."

"Perhaps it will," Arthur said. "Did you happen to stop by the scene of the latest murders?"

"I couldn't get too close. But I sensed it too."

"The fact that it already killed three of them… I can't help but think that there's a connection."

"Are you thinking that there wouldn't be any more deaths if the four of them are left alone?"

"It's hard to say. It might be a coincidence. But you know as well as I do that there are creatures like that."

"Yes. However, trying to convince them…"

"We'll have better luck trying to stop the creature ourselves."

"And we don't even know what we're up against."

…

"He hasn't contacted you at all?" Ludwig asked.

Kiku shook his head.

"It's not like him at all," Kiku said. "He would at least call me. And now he isn't at school either. I'm worried about him."

"I understand," Ludwig said. "If my brother decided to disappear after three murders…"

"Ve, I'm sure he'll be okay," Feliciano reassured his Japanese friend.

"Arigato, Feli-kun," Kiku said, smiling.

"Speaking of brothers," Ludwig said, "where _is_ Lovino today?"

"He's sick," Feliciano said, smile falling. "He looked really bad when Nonno brought him back last night. And he wouldn't wake up at all this morning."

"And the others?" Kiku asked.

"Ve, I don't know."

"And trying to ask Alfred would be pointless," Ludwig sighed. "I swear, how Matthew puts up with that…"

"But they're just harmless pranks, right?"

"Feliciano, you need to pay more attention," Kiku sighed.

"I agree," Ludwig said. "What they do to your brother and his friends are by no means 'harmless' or 'pranks'."

Feliciano frowned, and the other two were both grateful and disturbed by his sudden silence.

…

Feliks took a deep breath before stepping out of his house. He didn't live too far away from Vlad – only about three blocks – but there was still the possibility of running into the officers.

Most of the town's police officers usually worked as truant officers. The school would call the parents of those whose parents had come along, but for those that lived alone they would often send the officers. There were those that were truant enough times that the officers no longer felt the need to bother.

The officers hadn't come by his house yet, but that could always change. So it was probably a good idea to get to Vlad's house as fast as possible.

It was after one block that Feliks ran into a group of truants. And he froze in fear.

"Hey, isn't that the Polish freak?" one of the boys asked.

"Yeah," another said. "The queer that likes to wear dresses."

Feliks took a nervous step back.

"W-who are you?" he asked.

"What does it matter?" the third boy asked.

"You know," the first one said, "if you think of him as a girl, he's actually pretty cute."

"Now that you mention it…" the second said, leering at Feliks.

Feliks gasped, taking another step back. He could clearly see the bottles and cigarette stumps. He knew that he wouldn't be able to talk his way out of this. He also knew that they would most likely be violent, and they would hurt him far worse than Allen ever did.

Why did these things have to happen to him?

"Why don't we have some fun?" the third said. "After all, we've heard quite a lot about you. We want to see for ourselves."

Feliks was prepared to run away, but just when he turned and took a few steps one of them caught his arm. He started to scream, but it was cut off by a hand on his mouth.

"Where do you think you're going?" the third asked. "We just want to get to know you better."

Feliks tried to struggle, but the guy that held him started pulling him towards the nearest house, which he assumed was one of theirs, since they were loitering outside.

And judging by the fact that they were loitering _outside_ , the officers no longer even bothered with them.

They dragged him into the house, and immediately pinned him against the wall. The guy that had grabbed him had released his mouth, but was pinning him by the shoulder.

Feliks stared with wide eyes as the three leered at him.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?" the first one said.

Feliks closed his eyes as one of them started to lift up his skirt. He started to feel dizzy and numb, and he could feel his facial features relax.

The three snickered when Feliks went lax, and the three hesitated when the Pole opened his eyes again. Instead of green, they were red.

"What the…?" the second one whispered.

Feliks narrowed his eyes, and the three were pushed away by an invisible force. Feliks stared down at them with an emotionless expression.

"You pathetic fools," Feliks said. "You should have gone to school like good little boys. Maybe then you would have heard about the three murders. One of which _I'm_ responsible for."

"W-what?" the second asked.

Feliks smirked, and the second's hands wrapped around his throat. His eyes widened as he started to squeeze. Feliks turned his attention to the third, and the guy started to pound his head against the wall, crying out in pain with each impact.

"W-what's going on?" the first asked.

"My name is Insanity," Feliks said. "I think you can guess what I can do."

"W-what are you?"

"Take a wild guess."

The guy looked panicked, and he tried to run to the back of the house. He was brought to a stop and thrown to the ground, again by something invisible.

"Pathetic," Feliks said, before he glanced towards one of the discarded bottles. "Your parents must be disappointed that they're wasting so much money on you. So why don't we make it so that they don't have to waste any _more_ money?"

"N-no, please," the guy said.

"What were you going to do to me?" Feliks asked calmly. "Well?"

The guy swallowed nervously.

"We… We were just playing around," the guy said. "It wasn't serious."

"Oh really? Then I guess I'm not serious either."

Feliks glanced towards a discarded bottle again, and the guy grabbed it. He shakily held it, before slamming it against the ground, breaking the bottle in the process.

"No," the guy whispered. "Please…"

"Forget it."

The broken bottle found its way in the guy's throat, and he let out a slight garbled sound. The broken bottle was lodged in deeper, and the guy fell back, spread-eagled, unable to staunch the bleeding.

Feliks glanced towards the other two. The one strangling himself was twitching, and the one slamming his head against the wall had become bloody. Feliks chuckled, and he waited until all three of them were dead before he left the house.

 **So, if Decay can turn a person to dust, Insanity can turn their minds against them. And force them to kill themselves, completely aware of what they're doing but unable to stop themselves. Among other things.**


	15. Chapter 14

**Thanks to Zaaze, Kattie, Olivia Kirkland, SweetHoneyBee, Little Bird 8060, Mondmaedchen, ScandinavianTrash, ToolboxHDR and Iroyuki for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 14**

Feliks leaned against the wall, hand pressed against his mouth. He was fighting hard to keep the contents of his stomach _inside_ his stomach.

He had just regained control of his body, but he couldn't figure out what had happened. It was strange and scary. He couldn't control his body at all, and the words coming out of his mouth… And he… Every time one of them started to… When they started to…

They were killing themselves, and every time they started, Feliks could feel something coursing through his veins, like some sort of power… As though _Feliks_ was the one responsible for what they were doing.

And as for the words spoken… It was as though it was a dream. As though he wasn't the one speaking, at least consciously. Yeah. It was as though it was a dream that he could remember.

But it was real. There was no way that he had been imagining it. He didn't know the three, and why would he even dream of doing something like that? He didn't want to kill anyone. But he… He just…

No. It wasn't him. It wasn't _him_. He didn't kill anyone. They just… The alcohol must have addled their brains. They must have been on some other drug that made them start to… Yeah, that was it. They were on drugs. It wasn't regular cigarettes that they had been smoking.

But… what about those words that he had been saying? That out of the three that had been killed, he was responsible for one of them. But who…

No! It couldn't be…

He remembered that Allen had been harassing him, and the next thing he could recall was waking up in the nurse's office. What had happened between the two events? Did he…

Did the same thing that happened now… happen earlier this week? Was he really responsible for Allen's death? Did he… Did he kill before?

At that thought, his stomach twisted again, and he started to retch. He couldn't help the bile that forced its way out of his mouth, and tears forced their way to his eyes as well.

When that was finished, he took a few deep breaths. He had killed. No, something _inside_ him had killed. That was the only explanation. But who would believe him?

Vlad. Vlad would believe him. He would know what was going on. And he would know how to get it out.

He only had two more blocks left. It wasn't too far to run. Having his mind made up, he took off running, hoping that it wouldn't upset his stomach again.

He let out a laugh when he saw the familiar building, and he ran up to the front door. He knocked frantically on the door, and he waited impatiently until Vlad answered. As soon as the door opened, Feliks threw himself at Vlad, wrapping his arms around the other. He started to sob into Vlad's chest.

"Feliks?" Vlad asked. "What happened?"

"Vlad!" Feliks exclaimed. "Like, it was so horrible! I don't… I don't know…"

"Shh, calm down," Vlad said. "Come inside, and we'll talk about it."

Feliks nodded his head, and Vlad led him inside. Vlad guided him towards the living room, and the two settled in the loveseat.

Vlad waited a while for Feliks to calm down, rubbing his back soothingly.

"Now, could you tell me what happened?" Vlad asked.

Feliks sniffled, before looking at Vlad.

"I… I think there's something… wrong with me," Feliks said.

"What do you mean?" Vlad asked.

"Like, when I was on my way here, like… I ran into these… punks. They… they dragged me into one of their houses. And… They like, started to… to lift my… my skirt, and…"

"And it was Allen all over again," Vlad sighed.

"Like, there's more. I… I don't know what happened. Like… I couldn't control my body… And I… I said things… without wanting to say them… I couldn't control myself! And… they… they started to… to kill themselves… And I think… _I_ was the one that made them do it."

Vlad was staring at Feliks, and the Pole averted his gaze.

"Like… You think it's… stupid, right?" Feliks asked.

"No," Vlad said.

"Like, do you think I'm a… monster?"

"No. This is actually what I wanted to talk about. The four of us… you, me, Matthew and Lovino… We're possessed by demons."

Feliks froze. He slowly turned to Vlad.

"Like, what do you mean?" Feliks asked.

"Last night… I figured out that there's a demon inside of me. And I figured out that you, Matthew and Lovino _also_ have a demon inside you. That's why we got sick. Because of _them_. But… You were _aware_ of what happened?"

Feliks nodded his head.

"What… how did it happen?" Feliks asked.

"I don't know," Vlad said. "All I know is… _we're_ the ones that committed the murders."

"Like… I killed Allen, didn't I?"

"I think so. I could check, if you want."

"Like, _how_?"

"Memory charm. I did it last night to make sure about it… And I learned that at the very least Matthew and I are possessed. We killed Sadiq and that other guy."

"Carlos," Feliks supplied.

"Right. And I think Lovino killed someone too. He got really sick when he was with me yesterday. And you got sick after… After Allen died, and after we killed Sadiq and… Carlos, was it? Anyway, Matthew and I got sick right after that."

Feliks was silent for a while, absorbing the information. Vlad already knew, but he only recently found out. And he had called Feliks to his house in order to discuss what was happening. But…

"What about Lovi and Mattie?" Feliks asked.

"I called Matthew after I called you, and Lovino called me this morning. They just need to find a way to convince Lovino's grandpa and Matthew's mother to get them to come here."

"Like, should we tell someone?"

"No. Something like this never goes over well. The best-case scenario is that we'd be locked up in a padded room, wearing a straightjacket. People aren't very openminded about something like this. Never have been, and I doubt that it would change."

Feliks bit his lip.

"Like, you know a lot about it?" Feliks asked.

"It's a miracle that you believed me when I told you about magic," Vlad said. "It exists outside the normal realm of reality. And people aren't very receptive about what they see as different. Look at how they treat us at school, for instance."

Feliks flinched, remembering the way he had been treated when he first arrived at this school. While his old school had come to accept it, he had been called harsher things, and had been on the receiving end of cruel jokes. In fact, they couldn't even be considered 'jokes' anymore. The word that Feliks would use now would be 'torture'.

Because of his crossdressing, he had been labelled a freak. If anyone found out about the demon inside of him… Or if even the _claim_ of a demon was made…

"Like, I see what you mean," Feliks said. "So, like what should we do?"

"The best hope is to exorcise the demons," Vlad said. "Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near strong enough to attempt it in my current state. And I don't think the one inside me will allow me to do that. It didn't want me to even call Arthur and Lukas. And I'm not sure about the skill of those two, but they might be able to help. They're in the magic club with me, so they'll keep quiet about it."

"Like, can't we just go to Lovino's church for something like that?"

"No. It's dangerous to entrust something like this to a religious official. I mean, for thousands of years, they couldn't tell the difference between a demonic possession and schizophrenia. They tend to make things worse. It's better to trust a magic user with something like this."

"Like, I think I'll trust your opinion then. So, like, what's going to happen?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, what are they going to make us do?"

"Well, we already know that they're going to make us kill people. They already have."

"Yeah. But… what else could they do?"

"I don't know. It all depends on what kind of demons they are."

"Like, aren't they the same?"

"If you're referring to all demons being the same, then I have to disagree with you. There are many types of demons, of varying degrees of danger. You even get those that are considered completely harmless. We already know that ours _aren't_. And… I don't know if _our_ demons are the same. But I think they're friends."

"Like, just like us."

"Da. But as for what they want or how they got inside us… I have no idea. I don't even know _when_ they got to us. And I don't know what they can do. Well, I think we have _some_ clue."

"Like, yeah?"

"I think they have the power of telekinesis. Mine used something like that to write a message on the ceiling. And they probably have super strength. And they can use it through our bodies."

"Like, so?"

"Normally, it shouldn't be possible so soon. I mean, this is only my second week here. They couldn't have been in us for so long. And if they use their powers with our bodies, then there should be more damage than us simply being sick. If it was a matter of them simply being so powerful to do so… then we'd have even _more_ damage to our bodies. And if they were weaker, then they wouldn't be able to do anything yet. So, what exactly are we dealing with?"

Feliks was quiet for a moment, with a thoughtful look on his face. He sighed.

"Like, you know a lot more about this kind of stuff than I do," Feliks said. "So, you totally like mentioned something about Arthur and Lukas?"

"Da. They might know more about dealing with this than I do," Vlad said. "And if they don't, then they are better equipped to learn more about it. And they might be able to save us."

"Like, what could happen to us?"

"Other than the chance that we might kill many innocent people, in particular friends and family? If they stay inside us for too long, then our bodies might burn out and we might lose ourselves completely. Everything we are would cease to exist."

Feliks bit his lip.

"So, we _need_ to hope that we can get rid of them?" Feliks asked. "Like, can't we wait until all of those… _jerks_ are taken care of?"

Vlad shot him a look, and Feliks shrank back.

"As tempting as it is," Vlad said, "we can't risk the deaths of innocent people. Who's to say that the next time they take over, it wouldn't be around someone innocent? Someone that doesn't deserve it?"

Feliks was silent for a moment. His thoughts were actually going along the lines of no one being innocent. Everyone that just stood to the side and allowed them to be tortured…

Who's to say that they didn't deserve it?

However, recent events showed Feliks that he wasn't fit to _kill_ someone. He wouldn't be able to go through with it. It was one thing when he heard of someone being killed, but he wouldn't want to be the one to actually do the killing.

It was… _horrifying_.

"Feliks," Vlad said, "what are you thinking?"

Feliks shook himself. He realised that he had been zoning out. Vlad was staring at him in concern.

"Like, never mind," Feliks said. "Um… I want… Could I take a shower?"

"Sure," Vlad said. "Do you want me to get you a change of clothes?"

"Um… if you have something that'll fit me."

"If you don't mind the clothes being a little baggy."

"Like, yeah, it shouldn't matter."

"Alright then. You know where it is?"

"Like, of course."

Feliks made a hasty retreat, though he could still feel Vlad's eyes on his back.

Feliks sighed once he was in the bathroom, the door closed. He realised how dark his thoughts had gotten, and it scared him.

Asides from Matthew, Lovino and Vlad, there was _no one_ who he cared about in the entire town. Especially at school. There was _one_ time when he _almost_ managed to make another friend, but Ivan had stolen him away, intimidating the other to the point where he wouldn't even talk to Feliks anymore.

In the end, Feliks didn't matter enough for Toris to _want_ to be his friend.

When Vlad had first arrived and had made it clear that he preferred their company over the likes of the Bad Touch Trio, Feliks had gained a little respect for Vlad. And when Vlad proved that he wouldn't be intimidated away from them, Feliks gained even more respect for him.

Vlad understood them, and he cared about them. In turn, they cared about him too.

Feliks turned his attention to the shower, before looking towards the sink. Something had caught his eye.

Perched on the sink was a small knife.

For a while, the knife was all that Feliks could see. There was a small line of blood on the blade, and it seemed to be calling for him.

Feliks walked over towards the sink, picking up the blade. He turned his attention towards the tap, before turning on the hot water.

He was sure that Vlad would understand. After all, if the knife was there…

After washing the knife, Feliks lifted up his shirt. On his hips were many red, pink and white lines.

Not long after starting at the school, he started it as a coping mechanism. And then one day, accidentally, Matthew and Lovino found out about it. Feliks had been so scared, and he thought that it would earn their hatred. But then they had taken him aside, and rolled up their sleeves, _both_ of them having done the same thing that he had.

It was the first time since he arrived that he wasn't made to feel like a freak. That he wasn't alone. It was the thing that made him feel close to Matthew and Lovino. And that closeness hadn't faded.

He sighed, searching for an open patch of skin. When he found it, he sliced into the skin, watching the blood bubbling to the surface. He smiled at the familiar sting, before frowning as it suddenly turned numb. And the blood had stopped flowing sooner than usual.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Feliks looked up, startled. That wasn't Vlad's voice. In fact, it sounded so much like his own.

And in the mirror, the glass didn't reflect his facial expression. Instead of startled and confused, he saw an angry expression. Complete with _red_ eyes, like Vlad's.

No, not _quite_ like Vlad's. It was a darker shade of red.

"I will _not_ allow you to mar our body any longer!" the reflection snapped.

Feliks let out a cry of shock, taking an automatic step back. It… It must have been…

"Feliks, is something wrong?" Vlad asked, knocking on the door.

Feliks looked towards the door, before running back towards it. He threw it open and immediately threw his arms around Vlad.

"V-Vlad!" Feliks cried.

"What's wrong?" Vlad asked.

"The… the mirror."

Vlad tensed slightly.

"What happened?" Vlad asked.

"It… it spoke to me. And it… it had red eyes."

Vlad inhaled sharply, and he led Feliks to the mirror. Feliks closed his eyes, not wanting to look into the mirror at all.

"Feliks, could you please look?" Vlad asked gently.

Feliks shook his head, and Vlad sighed.

"Please look," Vlad repeated. "I just want to see. I couldn't see your eyes, so I couldn't see if they were red. But the reflection is normal."

Feliks whimpered, opening his eyes. He glanced towards the mirror, and sighed in relief.

"Um, Feliks?" Vlad prompted. "Why do I smell blood?"

Feliks tensed, and looked up at Vlad.

"U-um," Feliks said. "Like, I, um…"

Vlad would understand. He did it too. After all, Vlad was doing it too. Why else would there be a knife in the bathroom?

Instead of answering with words, Feliks lifted his shirt and pulled his skirt down slightly, revealing the scars. Vlad was staring at them quietly.

"Feliks…" Vlad whispered.

"It… It was too much," Feliks said. "I… I needed to…"

Vlad pulled him into a hug again, and Feliks buried his face in his chest.

"You shouldn't do something like that," Vlad said. "There are other ways."

"Like, _you're_ one to talk!" Feliks said, pulling away. "You were totally doing it too."

"Huh?" Vlad cocked his head, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

"Like, you had the knife here…" Feliks began quietly.

Vlad's eyes widened.

"…I wasn't cutting," Vlad said. "It's too dangerous for me to do something like that, since I use Blood Magic. There's a chance that I might accidentally cast a spell, and it might be dangerous. I had the knife here because I performed a memory charm last night, and I needed my blood. Since it needed to be in a specific pattern on my face, I made a small cut and I needed to see what I was doing. The cut was on my finger, by the way."

Feliks was silent for a moment, before he scrunched his face in disgust.

"Like, ew," Feliks said. "You smeared blood on your face?"

Vlad chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess it sounds gross," Vlad said. "There are worse things. But that's how I found out about what's going on with us."

Feliks sighed, hugging Vlad again.

"Like, are you mad?" Feliks asked.

"Not really," Vlad said. "I'm upset, sure. But… I guess it's because I'm sad for you. I had no idea that they hurt you so much that you would do that to yourself."

"Mattie and Lovi too," Feliks mumbled.

Vlad was silent for a moment.

"I know that I hadn't been through as much as you guys," Vlad said. "And I don't know all the things that you've gone through, but you're not alone. I'm here for you. You have people that can help ease your suffering. Having the three of you with me… gave me the strength to carry on. So please, think about it."

Feliks was silent, holding onto Vlad. He looked into the mirror again, and his eyes flashed red, and for a brief moment a smile appeared on the reflection's face. But Feliks knew that he had no smile at all.

 **In the previous chapter, there wasn't a scene change between Feliks and Insanity, like I did with all the other times. It was my way of showing that Feliks was aware of everything Insanity did, and it freaked him out, as you could see in the beginning of this chapter. Think about it: You lose control of your body, and you see three people killing themselves. And you** _ **know**_ **that you're the one responsible for it.**

 **The interactions between Vlad and Feliks took longer than expected, but it gives Feliks an opportunity for some character development. He hadn't had a chance in the limelight for a while.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Thanks to Kattie, Zaaze, Elizaveta Herdervary – Hungary and ScandinavianTrash for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 15**

Vlad went to answer the door. He smiled when he saw Matthew, before turning his attention to the older woman standing behind Matthew.

"You must be Vlad," the woman said. "I'm Matthew's mother. Do you think you're going to be okay on your own?"

"We'll be fine," Matthew said. "Thank you."

Matthew's mother nodded, before turning to leave. Vlad turned to Matthew with a curious look.

"How'd you convince your mother to bring you?" Vlad asked.

"I told her that, since you and Feliks were also sick and living alone, Lovino and I would come to stay over at your house overnight. You said you thought that it would be better."

"Da. I can't believe she allowed it."

"Well, she could see that Alfred wasn't happy. She's afraid that Alfred might act out."

"Is she aware of what he does to you?"

"She has an idea, but she doesn't know the full extent. She just knows that Alfred and I don't get along."

"I see. Come in."

Vlad led Matthew over to the living room, where Feliks was curled up on an armchair, hugging his legs to his body.

"Hey Feliks," Matthew greeted.

"Hey Mattie," Feliks greeted listlessly.

Matthew turned his attention to Vlad, who sighed.

"I'll explain later," Vlad said. "We're still waiting for Lovino."

Matthew nodded his head, before he took a seat.

"How are you feeling, Vlad?" Matthew asked.

"I've been better," Vlad said. "You?"

"Tired. And head hurting."

"You're going to get more tired," Feliks said. "Believe me. You're totally going to get bad news."

Matthew looked towards Feliks, before resigning himself. They would have to wait for Lovino to arrive.

Luckily, they didn't have to wait long. Lovino was brought by his grandfather, who looked a little hesitant about leaving his grandson there, but he agreed nonetheless.

"He doesn't want my younger brothers to get sick," Lovino said. "So, what's this about, Vampire Jerk?"

"In here," Vlad said, leading the way to the living room. Lovino took a seat, and Vlad sighed. "I found out that the four of us are possessed by demons."

Lovino scowled.

"Don't try to fuck with us," the Italian growled.

"I'm not," Vlad said. "Somehow, all four of us are being possessed. Experienced any lapses of memory lately?"

Lovino bit his lip, but remained silent. Matthew looked nervous.

"He's not joking," Feliks said. "I saw it for myself."

"Lovino, what happened when you touched the rosary?" Vlad asked.

Lovino's eyes widened, before he averted them. Matthew looked between the Italian and the Romanian.

"It's a bit… impossible," Matthew said. "How do we know that it's… true?"

"Try to cut," Feliks said. "It won't work."

"I think there's a better way," Vlad said, looking at Feliks with an odd expression. "Lovino, did something happen on your way here yesterday?"

Lovino tensed.

"What are you talking about?" Lovino demanded.

"Something happened yesterday," Vlad said. "But the one inside you made you forget what happened. I can make you remember."

"No," Lovino said harshly. "Nothing happened. There's _nothing_ to remember."

"Maybe you're right," Feliks said. "Maybe there _is_ nothing. But it wouldn't hurt to check, would it?"

Lovino hesitated, before he looked towards Vlad. He huffed, his body relaxing.

"Fine," Lovino said. "What… what are you going to do?"

"A memory charm," Lovino said. "It wouldn't hurt you, but…"

"Some of the things you see might totally give you nightmares," Feliks said.

Lovino's head snapped towards Feliks, before turning back to Vlad. Matthew turned to Feliks as well.

"Did Vlad use the memory charm on you?" Matthew asked.

"No need," Feliks said. "Like, I saw it live."

Lovino hesitated, before he sighed.

"Alright then," Lovino said. "I… I think we should try it."

"Okay," Vlad said, coming closer. "You might find this a little gross."

"Huh?"

Vlad bit his pointer finger, and they could see a trail of blood flow down his finger. Lovino drew back when Lovino approached him.

"W-what are you doing with that?" Lovino demanded.

"Sorry about this," Vlad said sheepishly. "But I use _Blood_ Magic, remember?"

Lovino's face twisted as Vlad painted a pattern on Lovino's face. He then placed his hand on Lovino's head, muttering a spell. Lovino's eyes glazed over, before he gasped. He shook, and Vlad also had a horrified look on his face.

Vlad finally pulled away, and both he and Lovino looked as though they saw something horrible.

"I… I saw…" Vlad said. "That wasn't supposed to happen. What…?"

"What the hell?!" Lovino shouted. "What was… what was…?"

"That is what happened yesterday."

"What is it?" Matthew asked. "What happened?"

"The… That Japanese Bastard," Lovino said. "I… I killed him."

"How?" Feliks asked.

"He… He was…"

"He was decomposed so fast that he essentially turned into dust," Vlad said, looking disturbed. "Not even his bones are left."

Matthew looked horrified, while Feliks looked at Lovino dully.

"The one inside me made a bunch of punks attacking me kill themselves," Feliks said. "It was scary."

"W-wait," Matthew said. "Then… it's true? We really have demons?"

"Da," Vlad said. "But I don't know how it happened, or when."

"So… what do we do now?"

"I'll try to get in touch with Arthur or Lukas later," Vlad said. "They'll keep quiet about what's happening, and they're in the best position to find a solution for our problem. In the meantime, we should probably stay away from other people."

"Right," Matthew said. "We don't want any more people to die."

Lovino hesitated, before looking towards Feliks. It was clear that both of them were thinking the same thing. But neither of them wanted to admit what they were thinking out loud. Not with Matthew and Vlad apparently being of a different opinion.

But something else was bothering Lovino. The way that Feliks just casually mentioned cutting. Did… Did Vlad already know?

"Anyway," Vlad said, "is anyone hungry?"

"Not me," Lovino said. "Nonno already gave me lunch."

"No thanks," Feliks said.

" _I'm_ hungry," Matthew said.

"Alright then," Vlad said. "Anything specific?"

"Not really."

"Alright then. I'll be back soon."

Vlad left, and Lovino rounded on Feliks.

"Does the Vampire Jerk know?" Lovino asked.

"Be more specific," Feliks said.

Lovino lifted his sleeve, and Feliks nodded.

"Yeah," Feliks said. "He knows. The one inside me… I freaked out, Vlad came, he saw, and I told him."

"Does he know about…?" Matthew asked.

"Tak. He knows that all three of us cut, or at least used to."

Matthew flinched, rubbing his arms.

"And… how did he take it?" Matthew asked.

Feliks flinched.

"He… He's really a cool guy," Feliks said. "Like, the best."

Lovino and Matthew stared at Feliks before exchanging a look.

"Si," Lovino said. "He _is_ a good guy."

…

"Hey, we should go to the vampire's place after school," Alfred suggested.

"Sure," Mathias said. "It's been a while. And after everything that happened to Allen, Sadiq and Carlos, we need something to relax again."

"What are you talking about?"

The group jumped, before turning around. They saw Ivan and Natalia standing behind them. Elizaveta smirked.

"We were thinking of paying a visit to that Romanian pig's house," the Hungarian said. "Do you want to join?"

Ivan smiled.

"I wouldn't mind," Ivan said. "Do you have any ideas?"

…

They had been lounging about Vlad's living room, watching TV. Vlad had gone to his bedroom in a bid to fetch his phone in order to attempt calling Arthur or Lukas.

"You mentioned something about a bunch of punks attacking you earlier," Lovino said. "It wasn't the Bastards, was it?"

"Nie," Feliks said. "They were a bunch of guys skipping school. Like, they were drinking and smoking, and…"

"Where were they killed?" Matthew asked.

"Like, inside a house. I think it was one of theirs. There totally were cigarette stumps and bottles lying around."

They jumped when they heard a scream, and the three of them rushed to Vlad's bedroom. They found him crouched on the floor, his hands buried in his hair and a pained look on his face.

"What happened?" Matthew asked.

"I tried to call them," Vlad said. "It doesn't want me to."

Their attentions fell on Vlad's phone, which was on the bed. Matthew went closer to the bed, reaching out for the phone, only to recoil with a cry of pain.

"It… It doesn't seem that I can even touch it," Matthew said.

Feliks and Lovino exchanged a look.

"Like, do you think they're trying to keep us from totally calling for help?" Feliks asked.

"Da," Vlad said. "It's usual for demons to do something like this. A matter of survival. The same thing happened last night, except this time it was more aggressive."

"What do we do now?" Matthew asked. "If we can't contact them…"

"We still need to make sure that we're _away_ from other people. Even if we have to pretend to be sick for a while. Unless I manage to get a few books from the magic club."

"But for now, there's nothing we can do?" Matthew asked.

"Not really," Vlad sighed. "I think I need to lie down."

"Alright," Matthew said, helping Vlad onto the bed. "Get some rest. We'll figure this out later."

Vlad nodded his head, and they could see that he had already grown quite pale. The three left to allow their new friend to rest.

…

"Thank you," Arthur said, opening the car door.

Alice nodded her head as Arthur and Lukas got out of the car. The two boys were simply taking homework to the third member of their club, and Arthur's mother was driving them.

The two of them went to the front door, and Arthur knocked. They heard movement on the other side after some time of waiting.

"Who's there?"

The two exchanged a look. The voice on the other side didn't belong to Vlad, but they definitely knew it.

"It's Arthur and Lukas," Arthur said. "We came to bring Vlad his homework."

There was silence for a moment, before the door opened. Matthew looked at them with some relief.

"Come in," Matthew said. "Vlad's resting at the moment."

Arthur and Lukas shared a look before entering the home. Matthew led the way to the living room, where Lovino and Feliks were sitting. Feliks had his head in his hands, groaning in pain.

"We just came to…" Lukas started.

"We need your help," Matthew said.

"What is it?" Arthur asked.

"Demone," Lovino said.

The two newcomers were quiet, before Arthur sighed, placing the homework he carried on the coffee table before going outside. He went to his mother, and Alice arched her eyebrow.

"It seems as though we're going to be busy for a while longer," Arthur said.

"So, what you're telling me is that it would be better if I go home?" Alice asked.

"Yes. Basically."

"At least you're warning me _before_ you make me wait for an hour or two. Like Patrick."

"You never let him live it down," Arthur said, smiling.

Alice sighed, before nodding. She started the car and drove away, waving her goodbye. Arthur returned inside, where Lukas had been waiting.

"What did you mean by 'demon'?" Lukas asked.

"We're possessed," Matthew said. "Vlad thinks that you can help."

"This isn't something that you can say lightly," Lukas said. "We need to be absolutely certain about what you're saying. What makes you think that there's a demon?"

"I got burned when I touched my rosary," Lovino said.

Arthur and Lukas exchanged a look.

"We could probably test it again," Arthur said, glancing at Lukas's hairpin.

Lukas nodded, removing his hairpin. He walked closer to Lovino, who shrank back slightly.

"You're religious, right?" Lukas asked. "This wouldn't work otherwise."

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked.

"We'll explain afterwards," Arthur said.

Lukas pressed the cross hairpin against Lovino's cheek, and the Italian cried out in pain, drawing away. They saw a burn mark on his cheek, and the burn healed before their eyes.

"Religious artefacts like crucifixes and rosaries aren't powerful on their own," Arthur said. "Without faith, they're nothing more than trinkets. Demons aren't affected unless at least one person _is_ religious, whether it's their host or the person hurting them. Lukas isn't religious, but Lovino _is_ , so the hairpin hurt him."

"I see," Matthew said.

"Well, there's _something_ here," Lukas said. "I'm not sure if it's a demon, though. We'll need to look more thoroughly."

"Just as long as you get rid of them," Lovino said. "The Pink Jerk's been like this since you arrived."

They turned their attentions to Feliks, and they could hear him whispering something. Arthur went closer, and when he crouched down in front of Feliks he could hear what he was saying.

"Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea, bad idea…" Feliks whispered in a mantra.

"You need to look at me," Arthur said.

"There are more important things to worry about," Feliks suddenly said.

They were confused, at least until they heard someone knocking on the door. Lovino and Matthew tensed, and Lukas frowned.

"Were you expecting anyone?" Lukas asked.

"No," Matthew whispered. "And so far, the only other people that would come here…"

"Bastards," Lovino whispered.

There came a pounding, and Arthur and Lukas could see that Lovino and Matthew were _terrified_. Feliks had returned to his old self, and he looked frightened as well.

"What do they want?" Feliks asked weakly.

They were waiting silently as they heard something at the door. They all jumped when the door opened, and a group of teens came inside.

"Yo, vampire!" Alfred called out. "You here?"

They could hear some of them heading towards the other side of the house while another group made their way to the living room. When they came into view they stopped, Alfred and Matthias staring mutely.

"Artie?" Alfred asked.

"Lukas?" Mathias asked.

"What exactly are you gits doing here?" Arthur demanded.

As though by answer, they heard Vlad's scream. They got into prepared positions, but the other group, consisting of Alfred, Mathias, Francis and Gilbert, blocked them.

"You're not going anywhere," Gilbert said. "We've been bored all day, and planning it almost just as long."

"What do you plan to do?" Arthur asked.

"Wait and see," Mathias said. "It's going to be hilarious."

…

Vlad hadn't been expecting to be pinned down on his bed when he woke up. And when he saw who was pinning him down, he screamed in fear. Elizaveta smiled darkly.

"Glad to see you're awake," she said. "We missed you at school."

"W-what are you d-doing here?" Vlad demanded.

"We missed you," Ivan said, smiling creepily.

"He's over here!" Antonio called out, and Vlad knew that there were others in the house.

"Get out," Vlad said, trying to struggle in Ivan's grip.

"Did you think that that would work?" Elizaveta asked haughtily.

Vlad felt something against his neck, and he gasped when he realised that it was a knife. He turned his gaze to the fourth intruder, who he recognised as Ivan's sister.

"Don't move," she warned.

Vlad could do nothing as he was stripped of his clothing, eventually only remaining in his underwear. He was trembling harshly, aware of the knife pressed against his throat.

"Hey, could one of you come help us out?" someone called from the living room.

"Do you have any guests?" Elizaveta asked.

Vlad whimpered, which they apparently accepted as an affirmative. Antonio nodded before running out, and Vlad was forced upright.

"Open up," Elizaveta said, before shoving a whole garlic into his mouth.

Vlad screamed, but unfortunately it was muffled. Ivan then brought out a bottle of what looked like strawberry syrup.

…

The five in the living room didn't want to just stay there while their friend was being attacked. They tried to charge past, but the others held firm.

"Hey, could one of you come help us out?" Alfred called out as he pushed Matthew to the floor. "So, looks like you were faking being sick."

"Mom already knows I'm here," Matthew said. "And we _are_ sick, you jerk."

"Not 'jerk'," Lovino said. "And I think I need to come up with a worse insult."

"Oh really?" Gilbert asked. "You know, if all of you are sick, I think I know who's responsible. Right, Lovi?"

"Now that you mention it," Francis said, "I _am_ feeling a little sick just looking at him."

Antonio came rushing in, and when he saw their adversaries he smirked.

"Oh, looks like they're all together," Antonio said. "But what's Arturo and Lukas doing here?"

"Leaving," Mathias said, glaring at his cousin.

"Funny," Lukas said. "That's what _you_ should be doing."

Arthur tried to make his way past them again, but Alfred grabbed him.

"Stay out of this, Artie," Alfred said.

"No!" Arthur shouted. "I'm tired of standing aside as you abuse these four. You're going too far, Alfred, and you'll pay the price soon enough."

"Artie, you're my friend…"

"Not anymore. Let go!"

With his free hand, Arthur managed to punch Alfred in the nose. Alfred reeled back, releasing Arthur. Arthur tried to push past again, but he was pushed back by the Bad Touch Trio.

Alfred, meanwhile, gained a glare, and turned that glare to Matthew, who was still on the ground.

"This is all _your_ fault," Alfred said, before he kicked his brother in the stomach.

Matthew cried out in pain, before his body convulsed. He started to vomit, and the bullies' faces twisted in disgust.

"Gross," Alfred said, before kicking him in the head.

"Enough!" Lukas shouted. "Leave, now! Before you do something we'll all regret."

"And what would that be?" Mathias asked.

Lukas turned an absolutely furious expression on Mathias, and he stepped back a little. The others were also a little taken aback. They knew Lukas well enough to know that he _never_ looked like that.

They could hear a few people running away, and the five of them turned to run as well. The others decided to take the opportunity to go to Vlad's room, except for Feliks and Matthew, the former helping the latter.

They gasped when they saw the state that Vlad had been left in.

 **The part where the bullies decided to come pay a visit was hard to write. I didn't know what to do.**

 **In my first year we had to do a few things as part of initiation. One of them was to eat a raw piece of garlic. I think it was a clove. I swallowed mine whole, but the taste is something I wouldn't recommend. So, sympathy for Vlad.**


	17. Chapter 16

**Thanks to Alans, Olivia Kirkland, Zaaze, Kattie, Anika, Mehloveshorror, ScandinavianTrash, Atlianta Moons and ToolboxHDR for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 16**

Vlad was on his bed, stripped to his underwear and covered in strawberry syrup and glitter. There was also something stuffed in his mouth, which he was currently trying to remove. They could also see a gash on his shoulder.

"Vlad, are you okay?" Lovino asked, going towards him.

Vlad finally managed to get the object out of his mouth, and they were horrified to see that it was a whole garlic, with its skin. Vlad was crying, from what they assumed was a combination of terror and humiliation.

"Bastards," Vlad muttered. "Bastards."

Lovino wrapped his arms around his friend in a hug, and he sighed, rubbing the other's back.

"I know," Lovino said. "I know."

"How could they do this?" Arthur asked. "Your own _house_?"

"Not the first time they came here," Lovino said, doing his best to soothe his friend.

After a while Feliks rushed in, and his eyes hardened when he saw the state Vlad was left in.

"Bastards," Feliks said. "Like, what did they hope to achieve?"

"They t-took p-pictures," Vlad said.

"I am going to kill that idiot," Lukas muttered, gritting his teeth.

"I could call my father, if you like," Arthur said.

"What good would that do?" Vlad demanded.

"Breaking and entering," Lukas said. "Assault. They can't get away with this."

"It's more than one criminal offence," Arthur said. "And we're witnesses to what happened."

"It's never helped before," Lovino said. "No one cares. Whenever we try to get help, it only ends badly."

"But _let_ us help you," Arthur urged. "Please. We _can_ help. Just let us."

"You can try," Vlad said, sounding dejected. "I'm… I'm going to take a shower."

"Wait," Lukas said, turning to Arthur. "I think we need to show your father the evidence."

"No," Arthur said. "Let Vlad get rid of it. We'll be able to testify what he looked like. He shouldn't have to spend any more time like that. And he shouldn't have another picture taken."

Vlad nodded his head in gratitude, before pulling away from Lovino, going to the closet to get a fresh change of clothes.

"It's just fortunate that the demon didn't do anything, or there _really_ would have been trouble," Arthur said.

Vlad tensed, and it seemed as though he only just realised the difference that was there.

"By the way, what are you guys doing here?" Vlad asked.

"We came to drop off your homework," Arthur said. "They told us about your demon problem."

Vlad nodded his head.

"I see," Vlad said. "What happened with you guys? Why couldn't you help me?"

"Another group went to the living room," Lukas said. "By the way, how's Matthew?"

"Like, he's resting now," Feliks said.

"What happened to Matthew?" Vlad asked.

"Hamburger Bastard pushed him to the ground," Lovino said. "And when he was down, he kicked him in the stomach."

"It made him sick," Lukas said.

Vlad clenched his fists.

"Bastards," Vlad muttered.

"We can help you guys," Arthur said. "I'll call my father, and in the meantime you should go take a shower. Get that stuff off of you."

Vlad nodded his head, and he made his way to the door. He stopped however when he reached the door, and he turned to Arthur.

"About the demon not doing anything," Vlad said. "It _did_."

…

The group had made their way to Francis's house, laughing their asses off.

"So, do you think you could show the pictures?" Mathias asked.

"Of course," Elizaveta said, holding out her camera.

The guys that didn't actively take part in Vlad's torture gathered around the camera. They laughed when they saw the state Vlad had been left in.

"That is so awesome," Gilbert said, hugging Elizaveta.

The Hungarian laughed, before her face fell. Gilbert gasped when she slumped against him.

"Liz, what's wrong?" Gilbert asked.

Everyone turned to Elizaveta, and they realised that something was _very_ wrong.

…

Vlad stood in the shower, allowing the water to pelt him. He couldn't get what happened out of his head.

He was only _barely_ aware of what had been happening. The demon had taken control during the torture. And it had whispered to him.

Apparently, the demon inside of him could manipulate blood, and it could even set a trap, allowing whatever it was doing to take effect later.

It would look like a natural death. And it wouldn't be traced back to him.

He had explained as much to the others, and while they were concerned about someone being killed, in light of what had happened, they didn't particularly feel sorry. They were just relieved that Vlad wouldn't be there to see the death.

But Vlad was starting to wonder if that was really a good thing. And as for the demons…

Would it really be so bad if they killed off all of the bullies? It seemed to be having _some_ results. They were getting rid of them, even though they were still tormenting them. But soon, everything could be over.

" _I'm glad to see you're coming to my way of thinking."_

'Not quite. What do you want with me?'

" _Patience. Everything will become clear in time."_

Vlad sighed, thinking to all of the murders that had taken place. There was something about each of them.

" _Perhaps I could give you a clue? We speak telepathically with each other. We know everything that happens to the others."_

'What clue?'

" _Feliks was being sexually harassed, and again almost harassed in a similar way. You and Matthew were about to be beaten up. Lovino was being tortured as well. And today… What does it all have in common?"_

Vlad thought about it, before he sighed.

"Self-defence," he muttered. "All of them were in self-defence."

" _Exactly."_

'Why? Why bother? And why did you choose us?'

" _Again, all in time."_

Vlad felt the presence shift, moving to the back of his mind. He knew that he would get nothing out of it now.

But the fact that the demons had only killed out of self-defence… What kind of demons were inside them?

…

Ian Kirkland sighed. Arthur had already told him what had happened, and it was frightening to say the least. This went beyond simple bullying. This was… criminal.

"And Vlad's in the bathroom right now?" Ian asked.

"He's getting rid of it," Lovino said. "Here."

Lovino handed the officer a shirt, which was stained with a sticky, _glittering_ substance. Ian looked at the shirt before looking to Lovino, an eyebrow raised.

"That's what was on Vlad," Lovino said. "I had to change clothes afterwards, but you get your evidence."

"Four people's words might be enough as well," Ian said, before glancing towards the fifth. "Will he be alright?"

The others turned to Matthew as well, who was sleeping on the couch, his face flushed.

"He was attacked as well," Arthur said. "He was pushed to the ground, kicked in the stomach and head. All while being sick, and them _knowing_ he's sick."

Ian gritted his teeth.

"We'll put a stop to this," Ian said. "You have my word. They won't get away with this."

"Like, we'll see about that," Feliks said. "No one's bothered to help us before. Like, no one cares."

Ian pursed his lips together.

"I want to stop this too," Ian said. "Believe me."

"We're trying," Lovino said. "But people don't like showing that we _can_ believe in them."

"I just need to get a statement from Vlad. And then I'll take Arthur and Lukas home."

…

Matthew was confused. Where was he?

It looked like a white room. Matthew was a little taken aback when it looked as though there was another him. But then he realised that it was a mirror. A mirror that covered the entirety of a wall, making the room look larger than it actually was.

But where was the door?

"There isn't a door," a voice similar to Matthew's said. "The entrance and exit is a little different."

Matthew's eyes focused on his reflection, and he realised that the reflection's eyes were different. They were _red_.

"W-who are you?" Matthew asked.

"My name is Death," the reflection said.

"You… you're the demon."

'Death' smirked.

"There's no need to be so scared of me," Death said. "I won't hurt you."

"What do you want with me?" Matthew asked. "What is this place?"

"Suffice it to say, this is the place where the conscious and the subconscious minds meet."

"So, this is my mind?"

"Indeed."

"You… you still haven't told me what you want with me."

Death cocked his head to the side.

"You'll learn everything in time," Death said. "Just be patient. I just hope you know what you're up against."

The reflection in the mirror rippled, and Death disappeared. Instead, Matthew saw what appeared to be the upper landing of one of the two-storey houses. The décor actually looked like Matthew's own house.

And two figures came into view. Matthew and Alfred. They were fighting.

Matthew watched in horror as Alfred pushed him down the stairs. And Alfred just _left_ him there.

The reflection rippled again, and Matthew came face-to-face with Death again.

"That was the first time I've manifested myself," Death said. "If I didn't, then you would have died. Your brother would have killed you."

"No," Matthew said. "You're wrong."

"You wish to believe in others. You hope that your brother would come to his senses. But if I didn't interfere, then he would have killed you. I have no intention of lying to you, Matthew. Your best interests, are _my_ best interests. If you don't believe me, then ask Vlad to perform a memory charm on you."

Matthew was struck silent. Could the demon be right? Did Alfred actually almost kill him?

"I'll leave you with your thoughts," Death said. "We'll see each other again very soon."

…

Vlad sighed, slumping on the armchair. The two Kirklands and Lukas had already left after he had given his statement. Vlad was exhausted, emotionally and mentally, and it was starting to bleed into his physical state.

"It looks like I'm the only one that didn't have a long day today," Lovino said.

"Lucky you," Feliks muttered, glancing towards Matthew.

"If that's the case, then _you_ can fix us some dinner," Vlad said.

Lovino nodded his head, standing from his seat. He went towards the kitchen, and the other two slumped further in their seats.

"You like said that the demon like did something," Feliks said. "What happened? Like, who did it kill?"

"I'm not sure," Vlad said. "I only know that it was supposed to kill them in a way that would look natural."

"But at least you wouldn't have to see what happened to them."

"I guess it's a small mercy."

…

Ian Kirkland sighed, putting down his phone. He had just gotten news that would make everything difficult.

He returned to the living room, and his wife and sons all looked up at him.

"Did something happen?" Alice asked.

Ian turned his attention to Arthur, and his youngest son looked apprehensive.

"I just heard that Elizaveta Hedervary had been taken to the hospital," Ian said.

"Is she alright?" Alice asked. "But why did they call _you_?"

"She's dead. She had an aneurysm."

Arthur's eyes widened.

"What?" he whispered.

"Damn," Alistair said. "First the murders, and now this?"

Arthur looked uncomfortable, shifting in his seat.

"Could I please be excused?" he asked.

Alice nodded her head, and Arthur quickly left, leaving his dinner behind. Ian sighed. He didn't have much of an appetite either.

…

"Thanks for telling me," Lovino said, before hanging up the phone.

He sighed, looking at the oven. The homemade pizza was almost finished. Vlad had some of the basic ingredients, but Lovino wouldn't be able to make a particularly extravagant pizza. Still, it was better than nothing.

He would probably have enough time to go tell the others what had happened. So he made his way to the living room, and Feliks and Vlad turned their attentions to him.

"I just got news from the Eyebrow Jerk," Lovino said. "The officer got a call from the hospital. The Hungarian Bitch is dead. She got an aneurysm."

Feliks turned to Vlad, who lowered his head.

"An aneurysm?" Vlad pondered. "The demon mentioned that it can control blood, and that it could make someone's death looked natural. That sounds like a possibility."

"You're not too heartbroken about it," Feliks said. "Like, I don't blame you."

"Yeah, but we have another issue," Lovino said. "The Albino Bastard."

Feliks flinched, and Vlad kept looking between the two.

"What about him?" Vlad asked.

"Like, they seem to like misplacing blame," Feliks said. "Though, it turns out that it totally _was_ us. But…"

"The Hungarian Bitch was the Albino Bastard's girlfriend," Lovino said. "And he'll be blaming _us_ for it."

Vlad shuddered.

"I see," Vlad said. "We're in trouble."

Lovino nodded his head, before returning to the kitchen.

"Let's hope for the best," Lovino said.

…

Gilbert had his hands buried in his hair, shaking with rage. Antonio and Francis looked helpless. They wanted to comfort their friend, but he wasn't in the mood to be comforted.

"How could she just die like that?" Gilbert asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

"It's strange," Francis said. "How did that even happen?"

"Do you think that the vampire is responsible?" Antonio asked.

The others turned to him, questioning looks on their faces. It was only the three of them now. The others had left, but they had offered their sympathies to Gilbert before leaving.

"It happened right after we went to his house," Antonio said. "And she spent the whole time with him. Ivan and Nat too. Maybe he cursed her or something."

Francis raised an eyebrow, while Gilbert narrowed his eyes.

"There's something wrong about that freak," Gilbert said. "I'll find out what he did to Liz. And then I'll make him _pay_."

…

They were watching TV when Matthew groaned, opening his eyes. They turned to him, and he looked at each of them groggily.

"Feeling better?" Feliks asked.

Matthew shrugged, pushing himself into a seated position.

"I… I met my demon," Matthew said.

"W-what?" Vlad asked.

"It calls itself 'Death'."

"Death? That's strange. Unless the demon has a name that's unpronounceable by humans, there's no reason for it to give a name like that."

"Why go with Death then?" Lovino asked.

"Unless it's a reflection of what its power is," Vlad said.

Feliks looked thoughtful for a moment.

"When that demon took control of me," Feliks said, "it totally said something about it being 'Insanity'. And then it made those punks kill themselves."

Vlad looked thoughtful.

"It's possible that they name themselves after whatever they can do, or what their preferences are," Vlad mused. "It wouldn't be bad to know what they're capable of, but interacting with them too much could prove hazardous. But, Matthew, could you tell me about the landscape where you met the demon?"

Matthew nodded his head.

"It looked like a white room with a mirror," Matthew said.

Vlad nodded.

"On a magical level, that's the place where the conscious and subconscious minds meet," Vlad said. "It doesn't sound as though the demon has tampered with it. That's good to hear. Having a demon tampering with your mind is never a good sign. Though, I have to wonder why it _didn't_ do anything yet."

Matthew looked nervous. He was hiding something. But their relationship with each other was close enough that they didn't keep anything from each other unless they felt that it was absolutely necessary, so they didn't press him.

"Hey, do you mind if I use the shower?" Matthew asked.

"Go ahead," Vlad said.

…

Arthur sighed, pushing yet another book to the side. It was Friday after school, and he and Lukas were searching for any information regarding the demons. However, they didn't have much information to work with.

The only lead they had was that it could control blood.

"At this rate, the whole school might be killed before we exorcise the demons," Arthur said.

Lukas looked at all of the books.

"I think we should try something else," Lukas said.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"It'll be risky, but I think we might get more helpful information. Hopefully, Vlad wouldn't be too upset with us."

"What do you have in mind?"

"We need to start by researching general exorcism methods."

…

Gilbert was on his way to Vlad's house. He was going to make him pay for what he did to Elizaveta. He had killed her, and Gilbert would return the favour.

It was fortunate that his father was a policeman. And even though they didn't really need them, that didn't stop the officers from being prepared. He had also learned a lot of useful skills. Such as lock picking.

There was nowhere for them to hide. Nowhere to run to. They were limited in their social circle, and if they wanted to create the illusion of being sick, then they only had their houses, after all.

The vampire would _pay_. And he could go after the other freaks as well.

…

Vlad shuddered. He had the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

They all turned their attentions to the direction of the front door. They heard something as well. Lovino narrowed his eyes, before they widened.

"Shit," Lovino said. "Someone's picking the locks."

"No," Matthew said, gripping his hair. "Not again."

The door opened, and they waited in silence as someone made their way to the living room. At least they could only hear one set of footsteps.

They didn't have long to wait before someone entered. It was Gilbert, and instead of having his usual devilish grin on his face, he looked beyond angry.

"Gilbert…" Vlad said.

"Shut up," Gilbert said. "You killed Liz. You killed her!"

"She died of an aneurysm," Matthew said. "You can't…"

"Shut up!" Gilbert shouted, pulling something out of his jacket pocket.

They froze when they realised that he was holding a gun.

 **PruHun was mentioned in one of the earliest chapters. And Alfred pushing Matthew down the stairs also happened in one of the earlier chapters.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Thanks to Zaaze, Alans, Kattie, ToolboxHDR, ScandinavianTrash, Mehloveshorror, RinKagamine002, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Chireain, Little Bird 8060 and Christie for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 17**

"Where is that brother of yours?" Wulfric Beilschmidt asked.

Ludwig looked up from the book he was reading, before he shrugged his shoulders.

"As soon as we arrived, he stormed in and not too long after he stormed out again," Ludwig informed his father. "He didn't tell me where he was going."

Wulfric sighed, before he went to his room. Earlier that day, Ian had opened a case regarding the bullied teens. And he had informed him of the events of the previous day. It went beyond simple bullying. Wulfric couldn't believe it when he heard all the details.

And when he heard that Gilbert was involved…

He wanted to hear it from his son, but he knew Gilbert. The boy was stubborn and arrogant, and would fail to see the fault in his actions. And what's more, his girlfriend had died the previous day.

It would make things difficult.

The fact that Elizaveta had died after being involved in assaulting a fellow student made the entire case difficult. And the fact that the three murder victims were also identified as bullies of those four students. And then the previous day, Kiku Honda had filed a missing-persons case for his brother, another student identified as someone that liked to torture those four.

It looked as though all of these should be connected, but these were just teenagers. Something this big…

They would need to do their job. They would find the truth, and they would bring an end to this.

…

The four of them stared wide-eyed at Gilbert, who held the gun and was aiming it at Vlad. He was shaking, and they knew that one wrong move from their part would result in Gilbert pulling the trigger.

"You killed her," Gilbert whispered. "It's your fault she's dead."

"Gilbert, think logically," Vlad said. "There's no way…"

"Shut up! You did some of your hocus pocus, didn't you? You killed her!"

The others didn't dare say anything. While he wasn't incorrect, they couldn't say so. It was clear that he was slipping off the slippery slope.

And while Gilbert's attention was focused on Vlad and the others' were focused on him, no one noticed that someone's eyes had turned red.

"Please calm down," Vlad said. "We can talk about this peacefully. Just put the gun down."

Gilbert cackled sarcastically.

"'Calm down'," Gilbert sneered. "You want me to 'calm down'? Why? So you can do to me what you did to Liz? Teufel! I won't fall for your tricks. I'm going to do what we should have done ages ago: put you freaks down!"

And Gilbert pulled the trigger.

They were all holding their breaths, but instead of a _bang_ , there was a _click_. Gilbert's eyes widened, and he continued to squeeze the trigger.

"What the hell?" Gilbert whispered.

"Seems like it's jammed."

Gilbert's eyes widened and he turned. His eyes actually _bulged_ when a hand went through his chest, but there was only a light pressure instead of a piercing pain.

"Invisibility and intangibility," Matthew said coldly. "It's like I'm a ghost."

"How?" Gilbert gasped, staring into the red eyes that didn't belong to that face.

"You brought this on yourself," Matthew said.

Gilbert's body spasmed, and when Matthew withdrew his hand, the albino fell to the floor. Matthew stared coldly at the other before his eyes turned to Lovino, and they could have sworn that his eyes became warmer.

"Decay, if you would be so kind?" Matthew asked.

Feliks and Vlad turned to Lovino, and they saw that his eyes were red as well. Lovino stood and approached Gilbert. He crouched down, and Feliks and Vlad watched in horror as Gilbert's body turned to dust.

"Why?" Vlad whispered.

Matthew turned to Vlad with a smile.

"Would you rather have a body in your house?" Matthew asked. "This way, there would be no evidence."

"No!" Vlad snapped. "Why did you have to kill him?"

"Would you rather that he killed _you_?" Matthew asked. "I know of at least three people that wouldn't be happy about that, and those three would rather see _him_ dead."

Vlad was silent.

Two alarmed cries could be heard, and they realised that Matthew and Lovino had returned to normal. Matthew sank to his knees, and he backed up when he realised how close he was to the dust that used to be Gilbert.

They were silent for a moment. Feliks, Lovino and Vlad knew how hard it was for Matthew, Feliks remembering what had happened to the three attackers the previous day, Vlad having regained his memories of what had happened with Sadiq, and Lovino having regained his memory of what happened to Kyo.

"I… I killed him," Matthew whimpered. "I killed him…"

"The demon was right," Lovino said. "If it didn't kill him, then the Albino Bastard would have killed the Vampire Jerk. And it sounded like he wanted to kill the rest of us too."

"And the demon was also totally right about us not wanting to see Vlad killed," Feliks said.

"And besides," Lovino added, "if it means that we get rid of one more bastard, then so be it."

Matthew and Vlad could recognise the efforts to comfort them. They knew that they needed to reassure Matthew after he had killed Gilbert, but Vlad needed reassurance as well. They were his friends, and he needed to know that. He also needed to know that they wouldn't blame him for this situation.

Gilbert had come to kill _him_ , and by extension, Gilbert was killed by Vlad. Not to mention the fact that Elizaveta had been killed by the demon inside Vlad's body.

"It'll be alright," Vlad said gently, looking at Matthew. "We'll figure it out. We'll stop this, alright? We won't let any more people die."

"We should probably sweep it up," Lovino said, looking at the pile of dust that used to be Gilbert. "And we would need to get rid of the gun."

"Like, we're becoming sociopaths, aren't we?" Feliks asked.

"I think it's 'psychopaths'," Matthew corrected. "Psychopaths are the result of what people around them have done to them. Sociopaths are basically _born_ that way."

"And I think we can all agree that we're messed up because of what they've done to us," Vlad said.

"But… we're not killers," Matthew said. "We… we don't want this."

Lovino and Feliks shared a look.

"Si," Lovino said. "At least we don't have to worry about the body."

"But we like still need to get rid of the gun," Feliks said.

"I think I can use my magic to teleport it somewhere," Vlad said.

"Let's not take that chance," Matthew said. "What if it ends up with someone?"

"I think you might have a point."

Feliks frowned.

"Like, I think I know where we could hide it," Feliks said.

…

Arthur and Lukas had gone to Lukas's house when they realised how late it was getting. Lukas lived with Emil, who usually minded his own business. Mathias thankfully lived on his own, and Lukas had made it clear that he would punish Mathias if his cousin decided to intrude.

They had brought as many of the magic club's books as possible along. They wanted to be able to research as much as possible, without having the limits of solely doing it during club time. They couldn't spend much time on the school grounds, for example.

"Do you think your plan will work?" Arthur asked.

"Let's hope so," Lukas said. "If this _doesn't_ … We'll be screwed either way. And Vlad…"

"We have to do this for _his_ sake. For _all_ their sakes. Not to mention the other students…"

"Four bullied kids. Who _knows_ how those demons could take advantage of them?"

"I see what you mean. They were already vulnerable from all the abuse. And demons took advantage of that. Not to mention what the demons have to say to them to drive them even farther off the edge."

"No matter what they might do. How many people they might kill. Those four are in the most danger."

…

Feliks had gone with Lovino to the house where he had been attacked the previous day. Since it was on the way to his own house they could easily use the excuse of going to Feliks's house.

Feliks had informed Lovino that it looked as though the house was for a single person. If that was the case, and the deplorable state that the house was in that also told Feliks that the officers didn't come by to fulfil their duty as truant officers anymore, then no one would come to search for anything there.

They had wrapped the gun in a cloth to make sure that their fingerprints weren't found on the off-chance that someone came by and found it.

"You sure this is the place?" Lovino asked.

"Like, I'm sure," Feliks said.

"If you're _not_ ¸ then we're screwed. You know that, right?"

"Tak."

The two of them approached the front door. They hesitated for a moment before opening the door. Lovino's hand immediately found its way to his mouth, and Feliks whimpered.

"Damn," Lovino said. "Is this what _you_ did?"

"Nie," Feliks said. "It's what _it_ did. It made them kill themselves."

Lovino looked around, before focusing his attention on the living room door.

"I think we can leave it _there_ ," Lovino said. "I want to get out of this place as soon as possible."

"Like, me too," Feliks said.

…

Vlad leaned against the wall next to the bathroom door. He could hear the shower running, but he wondered if Matthew was really taking a shower, or having a meltdown in the shower. Like Vlad had the previous day.

He couldn't blame Matthew. It had been quite traumatising for Vlad to have the knowledge that he _killed_ someone. That wasn't him. He wasn't a killer. He wasn't like _them_.

And if the demon inside him didn't decide to kill Elizaveta by setting that trap, then Gilbert wouldn't have come to Vlad's house in an attempt to kill him. And _Matthew_ wouldn't have the blood of someone on his hands.

He could tell from day one that Matthew was the softest. Not only was he soft-spoken, but he was also the peacekeeper. Matthew was also the best at comforting, and he gave the impression of being a big brother figure. Matthew was the most compassionate out of them, and the one that deserved it the least.

He was also the one that had been through all of this torture the longest. Since he had been admitted to the school, in fact. Before he could even _attend_. All of this… Vlad feared that it would become too much.

There was a risk that Matthew would completely succumb to the demon inside. And Matthew would effectively _die_. That was the risk for _all_ of them. But…

Vlad couldn't help but think that there was something… _odd_ about the demons. The one inhabiting him had told him that all of the murders were done out of self-defence. And when he saw Matthew killing Gilbert, and the _demon_ reassuring them… What did they even _want_?

" _All in good time."_

Vlad growled in annoyance.

"What do you want?" he muttered.

" _First off, I can hear your thoughts,"_ the demon said. _"It's getting really annoying hearing you refer to me as 'the demon'. My name is Blood. The one in Matthew is Death. Feliks's is Insanity. And Lovino's is Decay. Remember our names."_

"What does it matter?"

" _We're really attached to you. In fact, it's already been a week since our arrival. Well, not completely. Tonight is the anniversary."_

Vlad paused. A week? That was how long they've been inside… But why wait?

" _Your curiosity is one of your greatest appeals. But there's no need to be concerned. We have no intention of hurting you four."_

But why? These demons… Vlad could tell that this one – no, Blood – was sincere when he said that they wouldn't harm Vlad or his friends. It was probably because their bodies were the demons' vessels. But demons had a tendency to destroy the bodies they were in. The mind and soul of the host weren't compatible with the demons.

Vlad's eyes widened. The body usually rejected the demon's presence because it was incompatible with the mind and soul. But why wasn't that happening?

Demons usually made the body more accommodating by destroying the mind and soul, and by altering the body. But… none of that seemed to be happening.

One of the methods of altering the body involved self-harm. But Feliks claimed that not only did Insanity heal his wound the previous day, he _scolded_ Feliks for doing it.

And from what Matthew described, Death didn't do anything to tamper with his mind. But why? Why would the demons leave things as they were?

Vlad knocked on the door.

"Matthew, I'm going to take a nap," Vlad said. "Wake me if you're ready."

"Alright," Matthew's voice responded.

Vlad flinched when he heard how utterly… broken Matthew sounded. Matthew couldn't live with himself. Matthew wasn't a killer. Even though a demon was the one responsible, it didn't change the fact that in Matthew's eyes, _he_ was the killer.

Vlad went to his room. He lay down on the bed, but he wouldn't really be sleeping. There was something else that he needed to do.

…

Matthew came out of the shower when the water had long turned cold. He tried to wash the guilt away, but it was burned under his skin.

He had _felt_ it when his hand went through Gilbert's chest. He could feel Gilbert's heart in his hand. He had felt himself squeeze, and Gilbert had died from his influence.

And he… he _liked_ the feeling. He _liked_ being able to hold someone's life in his hand, and ultimately deciding that person's fate. He _liked_ having that power, that control.

And it scared him.

The thing that spurred him on was that he needed to save Vlad, but there were other ways. The demon had taken control. It was the demon that ultimately made the choice. And Matthew had felt what the demon felt.

It was the demon's influence. It had to be.

Matthew thought back to what Death had showed him. Alfred had almost killed him. And when he saw Matthew at the bottom of the stairs, his brother didn't even seem concerned. He didn't go down to check on Matthew. He didn't voice concern. It almost looked like… he _wanted_ to kill Matthew.

" _Nineteen minutes."_

Matthew jumped. It was Death.

"What do you mean?" Matthew whispered.

There was silence, and Matthew was left to wonder the meaning of the demon's words.

…

Vlad had arrived in the interior of his mind. He had been there a few times, and knew that he would most likely be a better judge.

And he couldn't see anything different, except that there was a reflection in the mirror, something that didn't often happen. The reflection in question had brighter eyes than Vlad.

"I'm guessing you're Blood," Vlad said.

"You're guessing correct," Blood said.

"Show me your true face!"

Blood was silent for a moment.

"I'm afraid that I can't do that," Blood said. "It's complicated."

"Why?" Vlad demanded. "Why is it 'complicated'?"

"I can't really tell you at this point in time. You'll just have to wait a while longer."

Vlad gritted his teeth. Once again, he got nowhere with the demon. It was as though it was taunting him.

"Why are you leaving things as they are?" Vlad asked. "Why aren't you altering my body, mind and soul to fit your preferences?"

"Why should I?" Blood asked. "Everything is already to my tastes. You're perfect as you are."

Vlad's eyes widened. The more he learned about the demons, the more confused he felt. Everything he'd learned about demons was thrown out the window by these four. And Vlad didn't know how to feel about it.

"We're not your typical demons," Blood said. "For one thing, we're a lot younger than most demons."

"Younger?" Vlad asked. "Is that why…?"

"Everything will be revealed in time."

The room grew dark, and Vlad felt as though he was falling.

…

Vlad's entire body jerked as his eyes snapped open. His mouth opened in a silent scream, and he arched his back.

It only lasted a few seconds before he went limp on the bed. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and he could hear his heartbeat against his ears.

He'd never been expelled out of his own mind before.

It took a long time, but finally he managed to push himself into a sitting position. He was still shaky, and he waited a while before he could push himself to his feet. He supposed that Lovino and Feliks might already be back. Feliks _did_ say that it wasn't too far away.

Vlad shakily made his way to the living room, where he saw that Feliks and Lovino had indeed returned. Matthew was sitting there as well.

"Had a nice nap?" Matthew asked.

"'Nice' isn't the word I'd use to describe it," Vlad said. "I met with my demon. He's called Blood by the way. So, the demons are Insanity, Blood, Death and Decay."

"What do they want?" Lovino asked.

"He doesn't want to say. But… I think they want to gain power. Blood mentioned that they're younger than most demons. And being younger usually means that they don't have a lot of power yet. But… They don't seem intent on altering us to fit their needs."

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked.

Before Vlad could respond, he was interrupted by a knock on the door. The four tensed. Who could…?

"It's us," Lukas's voice said.

There was a collective sigh of relief. Vlad went to the front door and opened it for Arthur and Lukas.

"Did you find anything?" Vlad asked.

"Not exactly," Lukas said. "We have an idea, though. But I'm warning you, it might be risky."

Vlad lowered his head.

"As long as it can prevent any more deaths," Vlad said, "I'm fine with whatever you have in mind."

 **I've mentioned in one or two of my other stories that I absolutely** _ **hate**_ **PruCan – it's actually the only pairing that I can say I hate. While it wasn't the original intention, having Matthew kill Gilbert… It was really satisfying, I must say.**

 **Death wouldn't have to worry about a body if Decay is there to dispose of it.**

 **I had a question regarding one of the other stories I said I'd do, and this is applicable for all of them: I'm working on them. Or trying to. I'm doing my honours in French, and that's a lot of work. I'm trying to write when I can, but most of my free time is divided between Enough, Ve We Totally Fooled You, and HCSS. But I'm trying, I'm trying. I have some vacation time and managed to get caught up with the stories I'm working on, so I'll be able to work on the other stories as well soon enough.**


	19. Chapter 18

**Thanks to SweetHoneyBee, StuffyJinx, Zaaze, Olivia Kirkland, Kattie, Mondmaedchen, ScandinavianTrash, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Mehloveshorror, ToolboxHDR, and an anon for reviewing.**

 **The school they're attending is a high school, and they're all in eleventh grade, so around 16/17. The Bad Touch Trio, I think, would be a year older (I can't remember if I've mentioned any of them in one of their classes), and Natalia would be a year younger.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 18**

"An exorcism?" Vlad asked. "Do you already have enough information?"

They were all sitting in the living room, and Arthur and Lukas had explained that they would be attempting an exorcism on Vlad.

"No," Arthur said. "But we don't have enough information to be able to perform a proper exorcism. What we're hoping for is…"

"For the demon to reveal itself," Vlad said. "Once you know what to look for, you'll be able to find the proper way to dispose of the demon. Isn't that right?"

"Yes," Lukas said. "Unfortunately, the process might be painful, and it might be traumatising. Not to mention what the demon might do to the ones involved."

Vlad nodded his head in understanding. He looked at the others.

"What you really want is for me to willingly allow myself to go through that," Vlad said. "With the others preferably out of the house, right?"

"What?" Lovino demanded. "What the hell…?"

"All four of you are possessed by demons," Arthur said. "Not to mention the fact that these demons seem to be allies. If you remain here while we're performing the exorcism, then the other three will react as well. They might cause a lot of damage to you."

"Not to mention what they might do to _us_ ," Lukas added.

"And what will it do to Vlad?" Matthew asked.

"There will be a significant amount of damage as well," Arthur said. "But since Vlad is a magic practitioner, his defences will be higher than with you. He wouldn't get as much damage as you would."

"And if Vlad willingly allows himself to go through that process, then the damage would be reduced even more," Lukas said.

Vlad lowered his head.

"I'll call you when it's over," Vlad said.

"Like, do you _have_ to do this?" Feliks asked.

"Do you want more people to die?" Vlad asked.

Feliks and Lovino exchanged a look, and Matthew lowered his eyes.

"Alright," Matthew said. "You'll call once you're finished?"

"Da," Vlad said.

"Then let's hope things go well."

…

"Like, this sucks," Feliks said. "Like, why did we listen to them?"

"Because they're going to help us find a way out of this mess," Matthew said. "What if someone we love is killed next? We don't want that to happen, so we're doing whatever they want us to do to stop this."

Feliks fidgeted.

"Like, you two and Vlad are the only people in this town that I like care about," Feliks muttered.

The other two heard him, but they didn't comment. They didn't know what to say to him, so they kept quiet.

Matthew's eyes wandered around. He had seen Feliks's house many times before, including the pile of books he kept in the corner. Feliks wasn't much of a reader, but he would sometimes ask Matthew to lend him a book. And then Matthew might just as well give up the books. He didn't really mind so much, since it gave him room for more books. But seeing those books now, he felt something tug him closer.

Matthew went over towards the pile of books, and Feliks shifted nervously in his seat, a sheepish look on his face.

"Like, I'll get to them eventually," Feliks said nervously.

Matthew ignored him, crouching down next to the books. He sifted through them. He didn't know what he was searching for, but he couldn't stop the compelling need.

Finally he stopped, the title of one book catching his eye. He remembered what Death had said to him.

 _Nineteen minutes_.

Matthew had waited for something to happen, but nothing did. Now he knew that it wasn't that something was going to happen. It was a reference to this book.

Nineteen Minutes.

He turned to the first page, and swallowed thickly after reading for a while.

" _'_ _In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn; colour your hair; watch a third of a hockey game_ _,'"_ _Matthew read_ _._ _"'_ _In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five. Nineteen minutes is how long it took the Tennessee Titans to sell out of tickets to the play-offs. It's the length of a sitcom, minus the commercials. It's the driving distance from the Vermont border to the town of Sterling, New Hampshire. In nineteen minutes, you can order a pizza and get it delivered. You can read a story to a child or have your oil changed. You can walk a mile. You can sew a hem. In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world; or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge._ _'"_

 _Lovino and Feliks stared at him. Feliks cocked his head to the side._

 _"Like, what's that about?" Feliks asked._

 _"Earlier, my demon – Death – told me 'nineteen minutes'," Matthew explained. "I just figured out that he was referring to this book. But… why?"_

 _"Well, what's this book about?" Lovino asked._

Matthew was silent for a moment.

"It's about a student who snapped after years of bullying," Matthew said. "He went on a shooting spree, killing his bullies."

"Sounds like a good book," Lovino said. "Can I read it?"

Matthew hesitated for a moment before handing the book over to his friend. Matthew looked between Feliks and Lovino, and he could see something that somewhat disturbed him.

Feliks and Lovino weren't particularly bothered by the concept of killing people. The only thing that freaked them out was taking part in the killings.

But how long could that last?

…

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Arthur asked.

Vlad was tied to his bed, his shirt removed. The curtains were drawn, blocking off natural light. In each corner of the room a candle had been placed and lit, as well as a single candle on each surface. Incense was burning in the centre of the room.

"Da," Vlad said.

"We need to make sure," Lukas said. "Your cooperation is crucial for our success."

It wouldn't be a proper exorcism. Their goal was simply to draw the demon out. They wanted to see its face, so that they would know what to look for in order to perform the correct exorcism. It was risky, but with the lack of information they had it was the best thing to do.

"I'm sure," Vlad said. "Anything to prevent more deaths."

"Alright then," Arthur said.

Arthur started to burn some sage, which he brought closer to Vlad. Vlad flinched, drawing back slightly. Arthur nodded his head.

"It seems that we're on the right track," Arthur said.

He nodded towards Lukas, who came closer with a bowl. It contained an infusion of olive oil, salt, thistle, cayenne pepper and garlic. Vlad's breath hitched slightly as Lukas approached.

"Well, at least we know the demon is awake," Arthur said. "But it hasn't done anything yet."

"It knows what we're doing," Lukas said. "I think it's just observing for now. Vlad, do you know what it's feeling?"

"He's a little curious about what you're doing," Vlad said. "I think. But not really scared. But… I think he knows that it would hurt."

Arthur and Lukas exchanged a look.

"It's anticipating pain," Arthur said.

"Vlad," Lukas said, "I think you should avoid referring to the demon as 'he'. It might be too dangerous."

"I'm not even allowed to refer to him as anything else in my own mind," Vlad commented.

"I see," Lukas said.

Lukas dipped his fingers into the infusion, before bringing them closer to Vlad. Vlad hissed as the infusion made contact with his skin, and Lukas used the infusion to write a rune on Vlad's chest.

" _Leave this body_ ," Lukas said. " _Release the unfortunate soul you've taken as prisoner. Leave this body._ "

Vlad hissed as more of the rune was painted on his skin, and they could see as the infusion started to make the skin red. It was worrisome, but they needed to continue.

" _Return from whence you came from_ ," Arthur said. " _Leave this innocent soul_."

"It's going to be impossible," Vlad said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Arthur and Lukas realised that they were speaking to the demon now. Arthur took a deep breath.

" _Reveal yourself_ ," Arthur said.

Vlad's back arched. The rune on his chest started to smoke, and the other two looked at each other nervously. But asides from that, they could see red patterns appearing on his skin. Arthur and Lukas knew that they were on the right track.

" _I command you to release your vessel_ ," Lukas said.

Vlad cried out in pain, arching his back as more of the pattern appeared. Lukas turned to Arthur, who nodded in acknowledgement. Arthur grabbed a notebook and pencil and started to recreate the pattern onto the page.

" _Release him, and return from whence you came_ ," Lukas commanded.

"Enough!" Vlad shouted.

Arthur and Lukas were pushed back by an invisible force, and Vlad, or rather the demon inside him, turned his attention to one of the bound wrists.

Arthur and Lukas widened their eyes when they saw the bonds release, and all the candles in the room went out, as though a powerful gust of wind snuffed the flames. The demon stood up, and soon he was standing on the bed, looming over the two teens.

Arthur and Lukas gasped, grasping at their throats. It felt as though something was wrapped around their throats.

"I could strangle you to death," the demon said. "It'll be too easy. Or perhaps I should reverse the flow of your blood. Either method would suit me."

The pressure around their throats released, and the two gulped greedily for breath.

"However," the demon said, "because you are friends of Vlad, I won't kill you. Other than the other three, you two are the only other students that showed kindness. I will spare you, for now. But if you _ever_ do something to hurt us again, then you will _wish_ that I would simply kill you."

The pattern covering all of Vlad's skin disappeared, and his eyes dulled somewhat. The eyes rolled back, and Vlad's body sagged, falling onto the bed. Arthur and Lukas waited for a moment before they approached the bed.

"So, that was the demon?" Arthur said. "It didn't seem as…. violent as I thought it would be."

"It almost seemed… nice," Lukas said.

"That's… not the word I'd use. It seemed to care enough about Vlad's happiness."

"But that doesn't make sense. Don't demons usually go out of their way to drive their hosts over the edge of despair? Make them surrender completely to prevent the host from fighting back? Make them give in?"

Arthur was silent as he stared at Vlad's unconscious form.

"Just what kind of demon are we dealing with?" Arthur asked.

…

Matthew took out his phone when he received a message. He read the message before turning to the others.

"That was Arthur," Matthew said. "They're finished over at Vlad's place."

The other two nodded, and Lovino looked at the bottom of the page of the book he was reading before he closed the book. Matthew was a little worried, but knew that the other two weren't at the point where they would _willingly_ kill someone. They had friends to support them. They weren't like the character in the book.

Matthew was a little concerned, though. The other two weren't as bothered by the thought of killing other people. And with the demons…

The Canadian was afraid of what might happen.

…

Arthur and Lukas had brought Vlad to the living room. It wasn't safe for him to stay in his bedroom at the moment. They could still feel the residual energy of the failed exorcism.

They knew that the exorcism would fail. But it was the best way for them to learn more about the demon. And at least they had more to go on now than they did before.

They had already cleaned the room of everything, but it was still unsafe to go inside. They were just waiting for the others to come so that they could pass on the duty of looking after Vlad while they went back to look for information on their demonic _friends_.

Arthur looked at the pattern that he had copied. The centre point almost looked like a heart on fire, with thorny vines extending from there. The pattern was red as blood, and on the forehead had been a diamond shape.

They shook themselves when they heard the knock, and Lukas went to answer the door. He returned shortly after with the other three in tow.

"What happened?" Matthew asked. "Is he alright?"

"We don't know," Arthur said. "He hasn't woken yet."

"You didn't hurt him, did you?" Lovino asked suspiciously.

"There's a burn on his chest," Lukas said. "It was the demon's reaction to the herbs we used."

Feliks was silent, looking at Vlad with a grim expression on his face. Arthur looked at the Romanian and cleared his throat.

"I think it might be best if we leave now," Arthur said. "But if Vlad acts strangely when he wakes up, call us. We have no idea what the demon might have done."

"We at least know what to look for now," Lukas said. "In fact, call us when Vlad wakes up, even if he's _not_ acting strangely. If we manage to find out what we're dealing with before he wakes up – which is unlikely, to be honest – then we'll call one of you. Otherwise, we'll call him. He'll have a better idea about what to do."

Matthew nodded his head, but Lovino and Feliks looked annoyed.

"So, you're just going to leave him here?" Lovino asked. "You're just… running away?"

"We've already been choked by the demon inside Vlad," Arthur said. "You must understand, we're keeping our distance for our own safety. We're also the only hope you four have for getting rid of the demons."

"We can't have Vlad looking into it," Lukas said. "The demon would sabotage our efforts. And it would imbed itself deeper into Vlad."

"And it would hurt Vlad," Arthur said. "Probably out of spite, but also because its influence goes deeper. That's the same with all of you. We need to leave before something else happens that could hurt us, as well as you."

Lovino averted his eyes, but he still looked annoyed. Feliks looked away as well, though he looked guilty.

"I'm sorry," Lovino said. "I know you're just trying to help. Unlike anyone else in this town."

"Not quite," Arthur said, smiling. "My father is trying his best to bring an end to the bullying."

"Let's hope he manages," Matthew said. "Before it's too late."

…

Ian Kirkland knocked on the door, waiting patiently for someone to open. Soon enough, a young man with tanned skin, green eyes and curly brown hair opened.

"Are you Antonio Carriedo?" Ian asked.

"No," the teen answered. "I'm his cousin. The name's Miguel. What did he do?"

"Is he here?"

Miguel was silent before he nodded, standing aside to allow the officer to enter. Miguel closed the door.

"Antonio!" Miguel shouted. "Someone to see you!"

Ian watched as Miguel moved to the archway, and soon enough Antonio appeared. Antonio hesitated when he saw the officer, and he took a step back, probably to flee, but Miguel grabbed Antonio's arm and dragged him into the living room.

"You're not going anywhere," Miguel said. "What did you do?"

"I have no idea," Antonio said.

"Liar!"

Ian watched the scene between the two cousins as Miguel forced Antonio to sit in the armchair, hands firmly placed on his shoulders. Ian moved to sit on the loveseat.

"I'd like to ask you about Vladimir Lupei and his friends," Ian said.

The reactions were instantaneous, though subtle. Antonio gained a guarded expression, while Miguel gained a knowing and annoyed look.

"What did he do _this_ time?" Miguel asked.

"Let's start with breaking and entering," Ian said. "You picked the locks of Vlad's house, and entered without permission with a group of friends. The group split off, and one group went to harass Vlad, who had been sleeping due to illness up to that point, while the other group made sure that Vlad's friends, who were present at the time, didn't interfere."

"I don't know what…" Antonio started.

"Shut it," Miguel said. "Continue, officer."

"Thank you," Ian said. "The group that went to harass Vlad stripped him of his clothing, stuffed garlic into his mouth, poured syrup over him and covered him in glitter. It was also brought to my attention that pictures had been taken."

Antonio winced, and Ian could see that Miguel had tightened his grip on his cousin's shoulders.

"What kind of syrup?" Miguel asked calmly.

"Maple," Ian said.

"Strawberry," Antonio said.

Ian crossed his arms.

"Thank you for confirming your involvement," Ian said. "On that note, the other group also assaulted Matthew Williams, who is also ill."

Miguel ran his hand down his face, and Ian could see that the other was trying to control his frustration.

"Antonio," Miguel said. "What. The. _Hell_? Attacking sick kids now? You're going too far."

"Are you aware of the bullying that Vlad and his three friends face?" Ian asked.

" _Everyone_ is aware of it," Miguel said. "Some have tried stopping it, but it never works out. But whenever I hear of something that this idiot did, _I'm_ the one that has to apologise to them. Antonio, you've gone too far this time."

"Come on!" Antonio exclaimed. "It was a harmless prank. And exaggerated. They're just trying to…"

"It should also be noted that other than Lovino Vargas, Matthew Williams and Feliks Łukasiewicz, Lukas Bondevik and my son were also there. They were delivering Vlad's homework when the attack happened."

Miguel nodded his head.

"This time, _you're_ the one apologising," Miguel told Antonio. "It's time you take responsibility for your actions."

Ian looked between the two cousins and sighed.

"There's one thing I want to know," Ian said. "Why do you do that?"

 **I've been thinking of adding Portugal for a while now, as the relative of Antonio that always has to apologise for what the other does to the four. I've actually pictured him going to Lovino to personally apologise for whatever Antonio has done recently.**

 **And no, Miguel isn't really bullying Antonio, thus providing a Freudian excuse for his actions. When Miguel saw the police officer wanting to talk to his cousin, he figured that it was the last straw, and wanted to make sure that Antonio got the message as well.**

 **I actually stumbled on the book** _ **Nineteen Minutes**_ **via TV Tropes, after clicking 'random media'. I immediately put it on my reading list, but haven't had time for it yet. You can probably guess from what Matthew said about what the book's about why the group would like it. There are a few similarities, one in particular that would be revealed soon enough. And as luck would have it, my sister's currently borrowing that book from someone. Even though I haven't read it, I know enough about what's happening in that book. It's also fortunate for me that I'm completely unbothered by spoilers.**


	20. Chapter 19

**Thanks to StuffyJinx, Olivia Kirkland, Mondmaedchen, Zaaze, Kattie, Iroyuki, ScandinavianTrash, Little Bird 8060 and Emerald for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 19**

Ian shook his head, climbing into his car. He felt disgusted, but allowed Miguel to be the one to reprimand his cousin.

When he had asked Antonio why he did what he did, the answer was the last thing he wanted to hear: Because it was _fun_. That they were just jokes, and that their unfortunate victims needed to learn how to take a joke. And that they also deserved to be put in their place.

Ian, being a policeman, couldn't put this teen 'in his place', no matter how tempted he was. Luckily for him, Miguel was more than willing, reprimanding Antonio with quite a tongue-lashing. Ian had watched in amusement before he decided to go to the next person.

Perhaps he should arrange for all of them to be in the same room together, before he dismissed the idea. They would intimidate each other to save their own hides, and they would either turn against each other or unite against their victims.

Though, turning them against each other would probably be a good idea. They would try to save their own skins, and would reveal more about what the others did.

But unfortunately, there was the risk of them attacking the four out of rage. And that, whatever they would do, it would be far worse than what they had done up to that point. To think that it would stop their actions would be wishful thinking. And they would be either reckless or more careful.

According to Miguel, _everyone_ knew about the bullying. And hopefully, once they realised that the police were involved, they would come forward with their knowledge, ultimately ending in the expulsion, if not outright _arrest_ , for those guilty of the bullying.

The only way to leave this school once you were enrolled was to be expelled. A student or their parents couldn't change their minds, but the school board could. Ian supposed that it was because they wanted to save face. It was a prestigious school, after all. They wouldn't want word of violent bullying to get out, and if it would prevent future enrolments, then they would get rid of the bullies. They also wouldn't want people to leave because this school wasn't able to uphold its glamourous reputation. There was also a practical reason, however. Almost all the students came from different countries, and for them to just pack up and leave would be difficult. And to be expelled…

One could only be expelled for a serious offence. Minor bullying wouldn't cut it, unfortunately. Which meant that they would have to reveal just how serious the bullying was. Enough for the police to get involved. Enough for the actions to be considered a criminal offence.

Expulsion from this school would result in the ruination of the student's future, but it couldn't be helped if the students deserved it. And perhaps, it would be the very threat of expulsion that would put an end to the bullying.

It was a series of gambits, and Ian only hoped that he didn't make things worse for the four victims.

…

Vlad groaned before opening his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before Matthew came into sight.

"Are you alright?" Matthew asked.

Vlad was silent for a moment before he nodded.

"Da," he said. "At least Blood didn't hurt them. But I still don't believe their reasons."

"Arthur and Lukas?" Matthew asked.

"No. The demons. I don't believe that he kept Arthur and Lukas alive because it would upset me. He has an ulterior motive, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah. All the books I've read about demons show that they can't be trusted."

"You can't always trust books. Unfortunately, I don't have much real-life experience with demons, except for that one time. I also suspect that it's true for Arthur and Lukas."

"Is there someone that _does_ have experience?"

Vlad was silent for a moment.

"My mom," Vlad said. "But I don't want to tell her."

"You don't want her to find out about what's happening, right?" Matthew asked.

"…Exactly. Where are the others?"

Matthew recognised the attempt to change the subject, and thankfully allowed it.

"Lovino's working on dinner," Matthew said. "And Feliks is in the bathroom. He's been there for some while now."

"Hopefully it isn't something serious," Vlad said.

…

Feliks sighed, staring at the mirror. He knew that he probably shouldn't do this, but he wanted answers.

"Like, I want to talk to you," Feliks said lowly.

He didn't want any of his friends to find out about what he was about to do. He knew that they wouldn't approve. Well, Lovino might not have a problem with it. But Vlad and Matthew definitely would.

For a while nothing happened, and then suddenly the reflection's eyes turned red. Feliks jumped slightly in surprise, but he didn't back off.

"What is it you want to discuss?" Insanity asked, though there was a knowing smirk on his face.

"Like, why did you choose us?" Feliks asked.

Insanity was silent for a while.

"Mirrors," Insanity said after some time.

"What?" Feliks asked.

"Mirrors act as doorways to other worlds. Most of the times the doors are closed, but a lot of them are glass, allowing the other worlds to see you. The four of you were standing in front of a mirror when you were chosen."

"When was this?"

"The tomato soup incident."

Feliks knew what he was talking about. After Alfred had spilled tomato soup all over him, Vlad had fled to the bathroom, with the other three following to make sure that he would be alright. They had been talking about how they had enough. That they needed to show the bullies that they had had enough, in a way that wouldn't result in them getting worse punishment from them. That someone had to _make_ them listen.

Insanity smirked.

"Wish granted," the demon said. "The darkness you exhibited in that single moment was enough for Darkness to turn its attention to you. And as it so happened, that night the four of you each broke a mirror, coincidently at the same time."

"And, like, that's how you got out?" Feliks asked.

Insanity's smirk widened.

"You can say that," Insanity said.

Feliks was silent for a moment.

"Like, why are you helping us?" Feliks asked.

Insanity cocked his head to the side.

"You'll learn soon," Insanity said. "After Lovino's killed again."

"Like, why Lovi?" Feliks asked.

"Because he's the only one of you that only killed once. You killed twice, but you ended up killing four people."

"Like, _you_ killed them."

Insanity chuckled.

"Tell me, do you remember all those rumours when you first arrived?" Insanity asked.

Feliks flinched. Yes, he remembered them clearly. That he had a few screws loose. That he was a freak of nature. That he deserved to be put in a madhouse. And all because he liked to crossdress. When Matthew and Lovino first approached him, he had thought that they would join in on the jeers as well, but to his surprise the two had offered their help, and eventually their friendship.

Yes, he had still been tortured after that, and after joining the other two the torture had become more specific, but at least he didn't have to endure it alone anymore.

"Anything else?" Insanity asked.

"I know that we're supposed to like get rid of you and everything," Feliks said. "But, before you go… Could you at least kill the last six bastards?"

Insanity smirked.

"After Lovino has killed again, you can pick someone you don't like, and we'll do it together," Insanity said.

"Like, why do I have to wait for Lovi to kill? And why should he?"

"There's a system. I'll tell you about it another time."

The reflection suddenly acquired green eyes, and Feliks instinctively knew that Insanity had left the conversation. He sighed, burying his hands in his hair.

He didn't have much of an issue with the demons killing, though he was a little hesitant about killing them himself. If Insanity could do it like he did with Allen, then he wouldn't mind as much. He also didn't like the fact that his friends had to kill as well. If only they could have remained unaware, then it wouldn't be so bad.

He knew that his way of thinking was wrong – that even his friends might ostracise him for it – but he couldn't help it. He had been on the receiving end of too much cruelty for far too long. And he wasn't as strong as his friends. They wouldn't think like him.

Well, maybe Lovino. Feliks had a feeling that the Italian was slipping off the same slope as him. But he didn't want the other to be burdened by guilt over killing people. And they had a point. What if someone other than the bullies was killed? Feliks might not have anyone he cared about in this town, other than his three friends, but the others _did_. And he didn't want them to have to live with that.

Shaking his head, he decided to focus on another aspect of the conversation. He remembered waking up the previous Saturday surrounded by broken mirror shards, and he recalled how he didn't remember much of the previous night. At least now he knew how the demons came to them, and when it happened.

Unfortunately, he knew that he couldn't share the information with the others. He didn't want to admit that he had _willingly_ had a conversation with Insanity, and he especially didn't want their attentions to turn in the direction of the _topic_ of the conversation. Again, he didn't want their disapproval.

He just wanted to end all their sufferings. Even if he had to surrender to a demon. Because the demons were doing more for them than anyone else has ever done.

Half of the bullies were already dead. And with Insanity's help, he could finish _all_ of them.

…

"Hey, Vlad?" Matthew said suddenly. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Da?" the Romanian prompted.

"I'm a little worried about Feliks and Lovino. They don't seem as… bothered about killing. I-I mean… It's horrible. We shouldn't feel good about it. But…"

"But you're worried that they might be crossing the line. That _we're_ crossing the line."

Matthew nodded his head.

"I don't think you should be too worried," Vlad said. "I saw Feliks after he got here yesterday. When… when _Insanity_ killed those guys. He was freaked out. And it was forgivable. It was out of self-defence. And Lovino was freaked out earlier when… _Decay_ got rid of Gilbert's body. You were too. And I was a wreck when I remembered what happened with Sadiq and that other guy."

"Carlos," Matthew said. "I guess you're right."

"If they seem unbothered, then it's because of the demons. Once they're gone, you can be sure that they'll be back to normal."

"I guess. Um, when this is all over, do you think you can make us forget about what happened?"

"Maybe not completely, but I think I can help us forget the worst."

"Thanks."

…

"I don't know what you're talking about," Alfred said firmly.

Ian sighed in annoyance, before glancing towards Ms Williams, who looked horrified.

"You have been identified as a member of a group of bullies harassing your brother and his friends," Ian said. "I have confirmation from a few people."

"Like?" Alfred demanded.

"Miguel Carriedo, Lukas Bondevik, Arthur…"

"They're just harmless pranks," Alfred said. "You can't come because of…"

"So, breaking and entering is a 'harmless prank'?" Ian questioned sarcastically. "Or assault? Or what about vandalism?"

"I don't…"

"Alfred," Ms Williams said, her voice firm, "go to your room. I want to hear what the officer has to say, and your father and I will think of a suitable punishment later."

"I didn't do anything!" Alfred protested.

"Your 'pranks' involve several criminal offences," Ian said. "Like the water balloons filled with rocks? Or what about your actions yesterday?"

"I didn't do anything!" Alfred protested again.

"Like kick your brother in the stomach while he was already feeling unwell?"

"Alfred," Ms Williams said, her voice sharper than before. "Go to your room, _now_."

Alfred looked towards his mother, and he could tell that she was extremely angry. She was scary whenever that happened. So he decided to go before he got a worse punishment than he was already getting.

As he left, he heard her tell the officer to tell her everything.

He felt angry at his brother. He went to the _police_? They needed to develop a sense of humour. They needed to grow up. They needed to remember their place.

He needed to talk with the others, before his parents decided that they wanted to confiscate his phone or something.

…

"Should we tell your parents?" Lukas asked.

Arthur looked up from the book that he was searching through, eyes focusing on his friend and fellow club member.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, you know as well as I do that we're in over our heads," Lukas said. "We'll need help."

"But I don't want the four of them to have to suffer for it," Arthur said. "Besides, after what happened with the demon, I don't think I want my family near them. The demon already threatened us with a fate worse than death."

"And we know that it can deliver," Lukas sighed. "But your brothers would be more experienced, and your mother…"

"My mother's specialty is healing," Arthur snapped. "And I don't want to place my brothers in danger. My father's trying to stop the bullying. Hopefully, he'll manage to remove the temptation."

"What do you mean?"

"Before we began, Vlad mentioned that every time the demons killed, it was out of defence for their hosts. Allen was apparently harassing Feliks, and we saw what happened yesterday. It's understandable that the demon would strike out of desperation if its host is distressed. It could interpret that distress as a threat to itself."

"By making the bullies back off, the demons wouldn't feel distressed. But who's to say that they wouldn't go hunting?"

"…I don't know. But the more temptations we can remove, the more lives we could save, and the more we can save their souls."

"How much corruption could they take, I wonder."

"Let's hope we don't find out. Come on. We need to find out what type of demon we're dealing with before we get rid of it. I think it's safe to assume that the same kind of demon is inside all four of them."

"Let's hope so. I wouldn't want to have to look for four different types of demons."

…

Francis had a friendly smile on his face when he opened the door, though the smile became strained when he saw Officer Kirkland on the other side of the door.

"Bonsoir, officer," Francis said. "Is there something that I can help with?"

"May I come in?" Officer Kirkland asked.

Francis hesitated, before stepping aside to allow the officer entrance. He knew that if he denied the officer it would only end badly for him.

He led the way to the living room, gesturing for the officer to take a seat.

"Can I fetch you something?" Francis asked. "I have some juice in the fridge."

"A glass of water will be fine," Kirkland said.

Francis nodded before ducking out of the room, and his smile fell. Alfred had already texted him to warn him that Officer Kirkland would most likely be on his way to see him. So Francis would need to think of things to say.

He couldn't believe that those four had gone to the _police_. But when he thought of the events of the previous day he paled. Arthur had been there, and he would most likely have told his father about the truth of things. They had always managed to negotiate with the teachers, but he knew that the police would be a different matter.

Perhaps they could still figure something out. And maybe he could ease it over by being hospitable.

Francis quickly filled a glass with water before returning to the living room, and he froze in the doorway. After everything that had happened the previous day, he had completely forgotten about Elizaveta's camera. And the officer was going through it as he spoke.

"Nice camera," Kirkland commented. "Is it yours?"

"Non," Francis said, hesitantly coming closer. "It was Lizzie's."

"Right. I heard that she died. Not long after you left yesterday. What do you think happened?"

"I… I don't know."

"Perhaps the excitement got to her?"

"Perhaps…"

"You already know why I'm here," Officer Kirkland said. "And with this camera, it would be a little hard to talk your way out of it, unless you want to go into detail about _why_ you have this camera?"

Francis pursed his lips before he shook his head. Kirkland smiled.

"You're the first one who's smart," he said. "You seem to know just how much trouble you're in and that trying to get out of it would only get you into _more_ trouble."

Francis hesitantly nodded.

"Put down the water so that we can have a little _chat_ ," Kirkland said.

…

The four friends were watching movies, with Lovino splitting his attention between the movie and the book. It was easy to pretend that nothing was wrong.

When someone knocked on the door, however, they turned down the volume, a little afraid. Vlad swallowed thickly before he went to answer the door. He felt his stomach drop when he saw Officer Beilschmidt.

"Sorry to bother you," Beilschmidt said. "I just want to know if Gilbert had been here today. He's not at home, and he's not answering his phone."

Vlad swallowed before shaking his head. The officer sighed.

"That boy…" he muttered. "Again, sorry to bother you. And sorry for everything my son's put you through."

"It's no problem," Vlad said, smiling weakly.

Beilschmidt nodded, and turned to leave. Vlad took it as the cue to close the door, and once he did he leaned his forehead against it.

Another reason why they would have to get rid of the demons: the families of their victims.


	21. Chapter 20

**Thanks to ToolboxHDR, Mondmaedchen, Zaaze, Youngbountygirl, Kattie, Olivia Kirkland, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, StuffyJinx, ScandinavianTrash and 2 anons for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 20**

The weekend had gone by quietly. Matthew's mother and Lovino's grandfather had allowed them to stay at Vlad's house. Megan had told her son that Officer Kirkland had come by, and that the atmosphere there was tense. It would be a lot safer for Matthew to stay with his friend for a while.

But Alice Kirkland had called them to inform them that she could no longer cover for them with a sick note. Unless something happened during that week that confirmed that they would need to be excused again. But there was also the risk of them being hospitalised due to being sick so much. So they would have to endure the week, and hope that things didn't go horribly wrong.

But when could things ever be that easy?

…

Vlad and Matthew were aware of the eyes staring at them during homeroom. They had already heard some of the new rumours that had been circulating due to their absence, but they were trying hard to ignore them. If they didn't respond to them, then eventually they would simmer down.

They knew that Feliks and Lovino would more than likely be suffering from the same thing. They would also be accompanied by stares in their own classroom, and they would also have the ambient sounds of the rumours in the background.

The two were aware of the empty seats in their classroom. And they couldn't help but feel the guilt like a punch in the gut. They knew that they were the ones responsible for the empty seats. That they were the ones guilty for killing their classmates. That at least some of what the rumours were saying was true.

But they couldn't say that. They couldn't acknowledge their guilt. They couldn't share their pains with anyone else. Only six people knew the truth, and four of them were the reason why all of that was happening.

…

Feliks and Lovino didn't have the same problems that their friends were suffering from. They still had the stares and the rumours, but when they looked at the empty seats, they didn't have the same amount of guilt that their other two friends were bothered with.

If anything, they felt _relieved_ at the sight of the empty seats.

Feliks would often glance at Lovino out of the corner of his eye. He knew that he wouldn't be able to bring an end to it until Lovino had killed again. Until his friend had tainted his soul again.

He didn't want them to suffer. Only six of them were left now, after all. Six more empty seats just waiting to happen.

…

Lovino was on his way to his next class when he felt someone grab his arm. He panicked, pulling away from the person that grabbed him, ready to run at a moment's notice, and for a moment he almost did. Those green eyes and tanned skin…

He relaxed, however, when he saw brown hair pulled in a low ponytail. It wasn't Antonio.

It was Miguel.

"What do you want?" Lovino growled.

"Easy," Miguel said, holding his hands up. "They've really fucked you up lately, haven't they?"

"Not just me."

"Right. I heard about it from Arthur's dad. I'm really sorry about Antonio."

Lovino averted his eyes.

" _You're_ not the one that should be apologising," Lovino said.

"I know. But listen: Antonio's on the warpath. And I think the others are on the same path. So I suggest you and your friends be careful, alright?"

Lovino nodded his head. Miguel gave a small smile before he walked away, going towards his own class. Lovino's eyes darted around, and he shuddered when he realised that Antonio was watching him. _Glaring_ at him.

He needed to get away. He needed to get to safety.

…

"Where the hell are you?" Alfred growled.

Matthew was crouched on one of the toilets. He had seen Alfred making a beeline for him and had ducked into the nearest bathroom, hiding in one of the stalls. But he knew that it was only a matter of time before Alfred found him. And he knew that what would come would be more than horrible.

Matthew had his hands clasped over his mouth, and he gasped in horror when the stall flew open. Alfred was glaring at him, but it looked as though Alfred was looking _through_ him. And soon enough, his brother turned away to throw open the next door.

Matthew was confused, but he didn't dare to be relieved. He didn't want to tempt fate. He didn't move until Alfred had left the bathroom.

What just happened?

" _I said it before,"_ Death said. _"Invisibility."_

Matthew's eyes widened, and he felt grateful to the demon. While he didn't like the fact that they were killing, at least the demons were protecting them.

" _No matter what, I am on your side."_

And Matthew believed him.

Slowly, the teen left his refuge and approached the mirror. It was true. He didn't have a reflection.

He was invisible.

…

Feliks gasped in pain as someone dragged him by his hair. The hand that gripped him was large, and could only belong to one person.

Feliks was pushed against the wall. He had to hold in a whimper when he looked into Ivan's eyes. There was no smile on his face for once. With the smile he only looked creepy. _Without_ it, however, he looked completely menacing.

"Hello, little Feliks," Ivan said. "So, I heard you went to the police."

"Th-they c-came to us," Feliks said. "P-please…"

"You made my sister upset. She was really sad. I can't let you get away with it."

Feliks's eyes widened when he felt Ivan's fist connect with his stomach. Another punch connected with his chest. He was bracing himself for the third punch when someone placed a hand on Ivan's arm.

Ivan turned his attention to the person that interfered. He released Feliks when he saw his sister staring at him.

"Katyusha," Ivan said.

"Don't," Miss Braginskaya said.

Ivan threw one last look towards Feliks before he stalked off. Katyusha Braginskaya turned to Feliks with a sad smile.

"Would you like to go to the nurse's office?" Katyusha asked.

Feliks nodded his head, and with Miss Braginskaya's escort he made his way to the familiar office, where he knew he would be safe.

…

Vlad gasped as he was pushed to the wall, and he could see a familiar head of blond hair storming away. At least Mathias didn't make things worse.

"You alright?"

Vlad turned to see Lukas, and he hastily nodded his head.

"Someone's upset," Vlad said.

"He didn't like the fact that Arthur's dad came to speak to him," Lukas said.

Vlad nodded his head in understanding.

"Any luck yet?" Vlad asked.

"No," Lukas said. "Nothing so far." Lukas yawned. "I personally hope that we can find something soon. I'm losing too much sleep over this."

"I hope that everything would end soon. I've really had enough of all of this."

"You came here to attend the best school in the world. But so far, it's been nothing but hell."

Vlad nodded his head.

"Exactly," he said.

…

Lunch couldn't come fast enough. The four were at their table, and they could see all of their tormentors at another table. Most of them were glaring. None of them were smiling.

It didn't bode well for them.

"So, Ponytail Jerk told me that Tomato Bastard is on the warpath," Lovino said. "Looks like he's not the only one."

"No kidding," Feliks said, rubbing his stomach. "Like, Ivan was actually violent."

"You mean he isn't usually?" Vlad asked in surprise.

"I know it's surprising, considering his bulk," Matthew said. "But Ivan achieves more through threatening than through violence. An implied threat is enough."

"But, like, when he _does_ get violent," Feliks said, "he can totally do a lot of damage."

"Alfred chased me into one of the bathrooms," Matthew said. "If it wasn't for Death…"

"What did he do?" Vlad asked.

"Alfred or Death?"

"The demon."

"He made me invisible," Matthew said, smiling slightly. "He protected me from Alfred."

"It's seriously fucked up," Lovino said. "Needing to be protected from your own brother."

"At least your brothers are harmless."

"They're idiots. Feli more so than Cello."

"Like, I wouldn't call them 'idiots'," Feliks said. "They're just totally too nice for their own good."

"What do you think they're going to do?" Vlad asked, looking at a certain table.

"Let's just get through the day," Matthew said. "And we need to hope that nothing else happens."

…

"We need to do something about them," Mathias said, glaring at the four.

"I'm in so much trouble with my parents," Alfred said. "I'm grounded. I can't go anywhere after school. And it's all Matt's fault."

"At least you could get Matvey after school," Ivan said.

"Nope. My mom told him that it would be best if he stayed at the vampire's house."

"Too bad," Natalia said. "You won't get to have any fun with us."

"So, you planning something?"

"Not yet," Ivan said. "We need to wait for a while. The police are keeping an eye on them. Why else would they be interested in what happens to them?"

"Why _are_ they interested in the first place?"

"Where's Gilbert?" Mathias asked. "He could have told us what's going on."

"Where _is_ he?" Natalia asked, looking towards Antonio and Francis.

The two had been quiet the entire time. Antonio was fuming in rage, and Francis… Francis looked as though he didn't get a lot of sleep. But both shook their heads.

"We couldn't get in touch with him at all," Antonio said. "It's like he just… disappeared."

"Do you think _they_ did anything?" Alfred asked.

"Non," Francis said. "I think… After Lizzie died, Gilbert was… He wasn't himself. He was almost desperate. I think that… another possibility might exist."

"And that would be?"

Francis sighed, rolling his eyes.

"It might be suicide," Francis said.

The others were quiet for a moment.

"It's all _their_ faults," Alfred spat.

"I don't see how it can be," Francis said. "She died by natural means."

"There's _nothing_ natural about it," Antonio said. "They did something. I _know_ it."

"Has it ever occurred to you that _we're_ the ones ruining _their_ lives?" Francis snapped. "That for us to blame everything bad that happened to us on them is just…"

"Dude, what's gotten into you?" Alfred asked.

"The officer was right. We've gone too far."

"And when did you decide this?"

"We forgot about Lizzie's camera. It was still at my place, and the officer found it. If we do anything else to them, then it will only make things worse for us."

"…Did he see the photos?" Alfred asked.

Francis nodded.

"Every time she was involved, she would take a picture," Francis said. "She said that she didn't want to forget it. That they were some of her fondest memories. But with those photos… the least we could hope for is expulsion."

"So, we're screwed," Mathias said, paling slightly. "We could always bullshit our way out of those messes. But with those pictures…"

"We're dead," Antonio said.

They were all silenced. None of them could argue against that. They all knew that whatever they did would only make things worse for them. And most of them were thinking that, since they were screwed anyway, they might as well leave all reservations behind.

However, Francis was looking towards the table that their four victims called their own. It had been empty the last two days of the previous week, but now it played host to its owners again.

He had been thinking about it all weekend. And he realised that they had been treating those four unfairly for a long time. That what they did was nothing short of _cruel_. Francis had always seen it as them having fun, and that their victims were blowing things out of proportion. That they were being little children for acting the way they acted.

But when he saw the expression on the officer's face… the look of pure _disgust_ , he realised that what they were doing wasn't the simple fun that he had thought they were. That Lovino was right.

They were _bastards_.

And Francis was aware of everything that had happened lately. That everyone that had been killed were among those that liked to torture the four. That it was how the police had learned of the bullying.

Francis didn't believe that they were the ones responsible for the murders. The murders were too brutal. They weren't the ones that tortured other students. They didn't even have the strength to do that.

Allen, Carlos and Sadiq had all been murdered. Elizaveta had died of an aneurysm. Gilbert and Kyo were missing… It didn't make sense for them to do things methodically. And if they were responsible for the deaths, then why would Kyo and Gilbert be missing?

Francis had taken the time to do a little research over the weekend. Things involving 'murder' and 'bullying'. One of the possibilities was that the bullies could take things too far and end up killing their victims, even accidentally. And looking around at his 'friends', Francis couldn't help but think that that was something that could happen very easily. Another possibility was that the victims could snap. That they could snap and start a killing spree, and people would mourn the loss of the victims in the shooting (or any other possibility for the spree), ignoring the fact that the shooter was a victim as well. That the shooter would have to face punishment for standing up for himself the only way he knew how.

Nothing about the four being behind the murders made sense. If they _did_ snap, then they would have done it all at once. They wouldn't have done it over the span of a week. And as for Vlad… He hadn't been around long enough to reach that level of snapping. And for all these rumours, and all of them blaming those four for everything…

It was misplaced. There was no reason to think something like that. But in the end, it was just another way to hurt them.

And Francis has had enough of it.

He saw Vlad leaving the table, and decided to go after him.

"I'll be back in a while," Francis said, before he darted away, going after the Romanian student.

He knew that the others were aware of where he was going, and who he was going after. But they wouldn't interfere. Francis knew what they were thinking, and it disgusted him that that was the first logical conclusion that they would reach.

It was the first conclusion that _everyone_ made.

Francis was aware of all the eyes fixed on him. Part of him wanted someone to try to stop him. He was disgusted by the fact that no one was trying.

He found Vlad in the bathroom. The police had finished there, and it was open for the students again.

Vlad turned to the door and froze. Francis could feel his stomach drop slightly when he saw Vlad's reaction.

"Don't worry," Francis said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Why don't I believe that?" Vlad snapped.

Francis sighed, averting his eyes.

"I'm sorry," Francis said.

"For what?" Vlad demanded.

"For… everything I've done to you. I'm sorry."

Vlad was silent for a moment, but then his face hardened.

"'Sorry'?" Vlad repeated. "After everything you've made us go through, you think that a 'sorry' could fix everything? I had just gotten here. New school, new town, new _country_. And already, I was marked as a target. You got a little upset because I defended the only people I've met so far, other than Alfred. The people who were _nice_ to me. You humiliated me, you attacked my house, you attacked _me_ at my _house_. The _one_ place that was supposed to be safe for me, and you took it away from me. You _all_ took it away from me. You think that a 'sorry' can fix things? When did that start, anyway? When the police started questioning you? Are you _so_ desperate to save yourself? You think that you can apologise and we can forgive you and you wouldn't have to worry about the consequences?"

Francis wanted to feel angry, but he could see the pain in the Romanian's eyes. Pain that _he_ was responsible for. Vlad was right. He, Antonio and Gilbert had gotten a little upset at the Romanian when he first arrived, and when Alfred had called to arrange for them to prank the new Romanian student, they were the ones that suggested to go farther than the normal pranks.

Francis was responsible for more pain than even Vlad seemed to realise.

"We went too far, and I'm sorry," Francis said.

"'Too far'?" Vlad repeated. "Why? Why did you even do it in the first place? Was it some sick thrill?"

Francis averted his eyes.

"I… I don't even know why I did all those things," Francis admitted.

"Get out," Vlad said. "Leave me alone!"

Francis was quiet for a moment before he nodded. He had to leave. He didn't want to distress the other teen more than he already was.

And so he left the bathroom, and he faltered when he saw the other three hovering nearby, waiting for a chance to interfere. Francis turned away, going in the opposite direction of the cafeteria. He wanted to apologise to them as well, but if Vlad, the person that they had hurt the least, wouldn't accept the apology, then why would the ones they had hurt for a long time accept that apology?

…

Vlad was gripping the sink, his knuckles white. He didn't know what to feel.

The door opened again, and he glanced towards it. He was relieved to see his friends there.

"Are you alright?" Matthew asked. "What happened?"

Vlad pursed his lips together, unsure of what to say. Finally he sighed.

"Francis apologised," Vlad said.

 **So, Francis is sorry, but the damage has been done. It's a bit late, and it would take more than just a word of apology to fix things.**

 **A lot of bullies aren't aware of the amount of damage they cause. They think that it's some sort of joke. Others are just so arrogant, and when their egos are damaged they lash out at the ones they see as inferior. They also like to remind those people that they're 'inferior'. Then there are those that lash out due to a bad home environment, or they could be the victims of bullying themselves. None of it is excusable, though.**

 **This entire chapter was written while watching** _ **13 Reasons Why**_ **. A group of people unaware of how much damage they caused until someone killed themselves… And when they're made aware, they would do anything in their power to hide the truth. I read the book two years ago, and when I saw that there's a series of it now… I'm not someone that gets excited too easily, but that was a definite exception.**


	22. Chapter 21

**Thanks to Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Zaaze, Allans and two anons for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 21**

"He… he _what_?" Matthew asked, completely surprised.

"He apologised," Vlad repeated.

"Like, it has to be a trap," Feliks said. "Like, there's no way that any of _them_ would actually apologise."

"What did you tell him?" Lovino asked.

"That if he thinks a 'sorry' would fix everything he's done, then he's making a huge mistake," Vlad said.

"Good," Lovino said. "At least you didn't make things easy."

"What if he's serious?" Matthew asked.

"Saying 'sorry' doesn't erase all his past deeds," Vlad said. "If he wants us to forgive him, then he would need to _prove_ that he's serious about it. Because if this turns out to be a trap and we _believed_ him…"

Matthew flinched, before he averted his eyes.

"It certainly wouldn't be the first time," the Canadian said.

"Like, if he thinks we'll accept the 'apology' after what happened last time, he's totally insane," Feliks said.

"Last time?" Vlad asked.

"They pretended to make peace, only to set us up for a prank that the whole school saw," Lovino said. "It's still a sore subject."

Vlad nodded in understanding.

"He seemed sincere," Vlad said. "But we can't trust him."

…

Arthur and Lukas had followed after the others once they saw them leaving. They were worried for both Vlad and Francis. They didn't know what Francis might do to Vlad, and the demon could easily kill Francis.

They were both relieved when they saw Francis leaving the bathroom, looking a little despondent but otherwise unharmed. They allowed Vlad's three friends to go inside while they chased after the Frenchman.

They found him standing outside, simply staring ahead of him.

"What did you do?" Arthur demanded.

Francis jumped in surprise before he turned to face them. He sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"You don't have to worry about me anymore," Francis said. "I'm _done_."

"What do you mean?" Lukas asked.

"I'm not going to bother them again. I'm _finished_."

"And when did you decide this?" Arthur asked, eyes narrowed.

Francis huffed, before he lowered his head.

"I thought it was just fun and games, you know?" Francis said. "I didn't realise…"

He was cut off by a slap through the face. Arthur was glaring at him venomously.

"You didn't realise that you were hurting people?" Arthur asked angrily. "How stupid can you be? Those four were humiliated on more than one occasion. They've been _assaulted_ many times. How can _any_ of that be considered 'fun and games'? You've tortured them physically, mentally, emotionally, psychologically… and from what they've told us, even sexually. And that's just 'fun and games'?! Everything you've done to them was immoral, and some of that was even _illegal_. That little stunt you pulled last week… Do you have _any_ idea what it could have done to Vlad? Imagine being stripped of your clothes by people that you _know_ hate you. You don't know what they're planning to do, but you know that they would go to extreme lengths. What do you think went through his head at that moment?"

Francis looked sick, and Arthur felt a sick delight when he saw that his words were having an effect on the Frenchman.

"None… none of us would do that," Francis muttered weakly.

"Allen proved himself capable of molestation," Lukas said. "It wouldn't be hard to imagine any of the rest of you capable of that."

Francis's knees buckled, and he collapsed against the wall.

"Mon dieu," Francis whispered. "I… I didn't realise…"

"What did you say to Vlad earlier?" Lukas asked.

"I… I apologised."

"And did he accept that apology?"

Francis shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Regardless of whether or not you actually took part in it," Arthur said, "you're still guilty by association. They won't forgive you. Not easily. And they're the ones that need to forgive you. And if the one that you hurt the least doesn't forgive you, then you can't hope for any of the others to forgive you anytime soon."

"Is there a way?" Francis asked.

"Actions speak louder the words," Lukas said. "Simply saying you're sorry won't work. You need to _show_ them."

"You've shown them that you don't care at all about them," Arthur said. "They're not going to accept a spoken apology."

"But… how can I show them?" Francis asked.

"If you're serious about repenting, then you would have to figure it out on your own. Now if you'll excuse us, we have club activities to go to."

"I thought those were after school?"

"We have a project we're working on," Lukas said. "Something we're not willing to discuss."

Francis nodded his head, and the two left him, making their way to their clubroom.

"We don't have much time left," Arthur said. "We shouldn't have gone to lunch."

"It was worth it," Lukas said.

"What are we supposed to do about the frog?"

"If he's sincere, he'll figure it out on his own. Either way, we need to stay out of it."

"It's because we've stayed out of it for so long that things have escalated as far as they have."

"You're probably right."

…

They were all on edge for the rest of the day. While Francis had apologised (though they weren't sure about how sincere it was), the others were still on their warpath. None of them showed any signs of even knowing what Francis did, and the four weren't about to inform them.

They were aware of the fact that if Francis _was_ sincere, and his friends found out that he's no longer on the same page as them, it would cause problems.

They might have hated him, but they weren't petty.

And when Chemistry arrived for Feliks and Vlad, they knew that they were going to have some trouble with Alfred sitting behind them.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Vlad said.

"Like, I know what you mean," Feliks said.

They were thankfully busy with a theoretical class, so there were no chemicals involved which Alfred could use to hurt either of them. They were still on guard, though.

But they supposed that they had let down their guard slightly, since Vlad suddenly felt a searing heat. He screamed in pain, and a lot of the class reacted accordingly. Arthur turned his attention to Alfred, who had a cold look on his face, with a can of deodorant in one hand and a lighter in the other.

"Jones!" Alistair shouted. "Principal's office, _now_!"

Alistair tried his best to snuff out the flames while Vlad was crying in pain. Once that was finished, he turned to his brother.

"Arthur…" Alistair said.

Arthur nodded, not needing it to be spelled out. He quickly grabbed Vlad and led the way to the nurse's office.

"Will you be okay?" Arthur asked.

Vlad nodded his head.

"I… I think," Vlad said. "The demon will probably heal it soon."

"You can't rely on a demon to heal your injuries," Arthur said.

"Then what _can_ I rely on?"

"You have your own magic, don't you?"

"Blood magic isn't really suitable for healing."

Arthur was silent for a moment before he nodded.

"You might be right," Arthur said. "It would go against the very principle."

"It can occasionally heal," Vlad said. "But there has to be blood first."

Arthur looked at Vlad's back, and the Romanian sighed.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

"You've lost another shirt," Arthur said. "Alfred really did a lot of damage."

"And… my skin?"

Arthur gently touched Vlad's back, and the Romanian shrank away, yelping in pain.

"We're almost there," Arthur said.

Vlad nodded, and as Arthur said, not long after they arrived at the nurse's office. When she saw them she sighed.

"What happened this time?" she asked.

"Alfred created an aerosol flamethrower," Arthur said.

Alice's eyes widened, and she rushed to their side. She clicked her tongue when she saw the state of Vlad's back.

"Your father would want to know about this," Alice said, addressing Arthur. "Vlad, is it alright if I take a picture of your back? This is purely for evidence."

Vlad nodded his head, and he went to lie on one of the beds while Alice went to retrieve her cell phone. Vlad lay on his stomach, and he sighed when he heard the phone's camera shutter.

Things only seemed to be getting worse.

…

Ian gritted his teeth when he saw the photo that Alice had sent him. Wulfric turned to him in concern.

"Is something wrong?" Wulfric asked.

Ian sighed, handing over his phone.

"This is what they've done to Vladimir Lupei," Ian said.

"Mein Gott," Wulfric said. "And this is what a high school student would do?"

"It's just one thing after another," Ian sighed.

…

"That bastard!" Lovino exclaimed.

It was the last class of the day, Gym, and Feliks had just finished telling them about what had happened in Chemistry.

"Alfred…" Matthew said, his hand trembling in rage.

"No offence Matteo," Lovino said. "But your brother's a dick."

"I agree," Matthew said. "To think that he'd do something like this…"

"Like, they're not holding back anymore," Feliks said. "Alfred didn't even _try_ to make it look like an accident."

"Neither the Vampire Jerk nor the Hamburger Bastard are here," Lovino said. "Things are seriously messed up."

Matthew nudged Lovino, and they saw Mr Zwingli approaching them. The teacher sighed once he reached them.

"I heard about what's been happening throughout the day," the Swiss said. "I don't think it would be safe for you to play today. You'll be sitting out."

"What will they be doing today?" Matthew asked.

"Volleyball."

The three winced. They were guaranteed to be injured in anything that involved a ball.

The Swiss cleared his throat, and they all had their full attentions on him.

"I hope you understand why I don't really interfere," Mr Zwingli said. "If other people keep saving you, then you'll never be able to defend yourselves, and you'll never gain their respect."

"We don't _need_ their respect," Lovino snapped.

"Maybe. But they might leave you alone if you proved yourselves capable of handling yourselves. People that they couldn't toy with."

"We tried that," Matthew said. "It never works."

Mr Zwingli sighed.

"I heard you got the police involved," the Swiss said. "If the bullying's really that bad, then I suppose…"

"Like, they used a can of deodorant and a lighter on Vlad," Feliks said. "Like, it's that bad."

Mr Zwingli stared at them for a moment.

"I guess you're stronger than I thought you were," he said.

…

The three were walking together after school, heading towards the nurse's office where Vlad was still resting. They didn't want to leave him alone for too long, just in case the bullies decided to try something.

The hallways were bustling with students desperate to return home. And they had the misfortune of going upstream, making things difficult.

Neither Feliks nor Matthew noticed when Lovino was grabbed and pulled into an empty classroom.

Lovino's eyes widened when he saw Antonio glaring at him. The Spaniard wasted no time in wrapping his hand around the Italian's throat. Lovino clawed at the hand.

"Do you have any idea the problems you've caused me?" Antonio hissed.

"You… you did this," Lovino gasped.

"Shut up!" Antonio said, tightening his grip. "You ruined my life, Lovino. 'To ruin'. That's a fitting name for you. Things would have been so much better if you were never born."

Lovino couldn't breathe, and he was desperately trying to pry Antonio's hand away. But the grip kept tightening.

"I… can't… breathe," Lovino gasped out.

"That's the point," Antonio said. "I'm going to do everyone a favour. You won't ruin things for anyone else again."

Lovino cried out in despair when he realised that Antonio had every intention of killing him. He knew that they didn't have much restraint, but _this_ …

He was starting to feel lightheaded, and tears started to prick at his eyes. But he could also feel something moving inside. And then suddenly, it was as though the lack of air no longer mattered.

"And what do you think will happen if people found out you killed me?" Lovino asked, but he wasn't the one speaking.

He had closed his eyes at some point, but when he felt the grip tighten again his eyes opened. Antonio's eyes widened before he released the Italian. But Lovino grabbed Antonio's wrist with one hand and slammed his hand on his mouth with the other.

Decay was in charge.

"You can't take responsibility, can you?" Decay asked calmly. "You fucked with other people's lives, and now you can't take the consequences."

Lovino felt power surging through him, and Antonio screamed into his hand.

"Actions have consequences," Decay said. "Now you're being killed by the monster you helped create." He smirked. "Is something wrong? You wanted to kill _me_. If you pull the trigger, then expect a gun to be pointed at your head in retaliation."

While he was talking, Antonio's body had started to decompose, the same way Kyo's had done, and the same way Gilbert's had after death.

"You know what sucks about this?" Decay asked. "You won't even have a corpse when this is done."

Lovino saw as Antonio went through the decomposition process at an unnatural speed, a process which was meant to be _after_ death, not the cause of death.

Lovino was forced to watch as Antonio stopped screaming, stopped moving, and _stopped_. What was left of him afterwards turned into dust.

Lovino sank to his knees, finally in control of his own body again, and feeling completely weak. He stared in horror at the pile of dust, and he couldn't stop the tears that fell. Even if he _was_ a bastard, he didn't deserve to die like _that_.

Lovino's stomach twisted, and he emptied its contents. He whimpered, the horror too much for him to take.

"The janitor's going to be pissed," he muttered.

He forced himself to his feet, and he quickly fled the scene, making his way to the nurse's office.

…

"This is utterly hopeless," Arthur said, putting another book away.

Lukas sighed, turning another page in his book while Arthur grabbed another from his pile.

"There are too many demons," Lukas said. "And it doesn't help that some of them are in multiple books."

"This is ridiculous!" Arthur exclaimed. "How is it possible that we _haven't_ found _anything_ yet?"

Lukas turned another page and he paused, his eyes widening.

"I found it," he said, cracking a smile.

"You what?" Arthur asked.

"I found it," Lukas repeated, laughing in relief.

"Fantastic! So, what does it say?"

"Let me finish reading first."

Lukas was silent as his eyes skimmed the page, and the smile fell as his eyes widened.

"Arthur, I think you should take a look at this," Lukas said.

"Is it so bad?" Arthur asked, walking closer.

"It's worse."

Arthur read the passage over the Norwegian's shoulder, and his eyes widened as well.

"Bloody hell," he whispered.

…

The four friends were sitting quietly in the living room, a plate with sandwiches in front of them. Lovino wasn't hungry, and after he told them about what had happened earlier with Antonio, none of them really had appetites.

Feliks was fidgeting, looking between his friends. Two of them had been hurt really badly during the day, and bruises had even blossomed on Lovino's throat.

"Like, they can't get away with this," Feliks said.

"The Tomato Bastard didn't," Lovino said. "He's dead. I'm going to have nightmares about it for the rest of my life. The way it happened… it was so horrible."

Vlad gave a small smile, before turning to his phone as the device started to ring. He saw Arthur's name and immediately picked it up.

"Did you find something?" Vlad asked.

"Y-yes," Arthur said. "We've managed to find out… what exactly we're dealing with."

"Great, so what is it?"

"First, tell me you're sitting down."

Vlad swallowed nervously.

"Is it that bad?" Vlad asked.

"Um, well… Why don't you ask Lukas?"

Vlad could hear the phone being passed on, and he frowned.

"What's going on?" Vlad demanded.

"The pattern we found on you is similar to what people receive when they make a contract with a demon," Lukas said.

"We did no such thing."

"I know. I said it's _similar_. But larger. It's basically a contract with the demon for the fulfilment of your deepest desires. In your case, to stop the bullying. But there's more to it. Some people can invoke it deliberately, but I don't think that's the case with you. There are a number of requirements that have to be met, and somehow you've met them all."

"What requirements?"

"Hatred, anger, fear, desperation, frustration, a gateway to other worlds – which could be translated as having a mirror nearby – someone who can use magic, and an unimaginable desire for a specific goal. This isn't an easy ritual to pull off. And the fact that you managed it without even _trying_ … Something _wanted_ you to complete the ritual. You were chosen by a… I guess you can say 'lower power'."

"So, these demons were summoned by our desires. How do we get rid of them?"

"…You can't."

"What? Then, what do they want as payment?"

"…Vlad, I don't know how to say this. But this _isn't_ a demonic possession."

"What? How can it not be? I've heard mine speaking to me. They're making us do things we don't want to do. How can it _not_ be a possession?"

"Because part of the ritual involves a part of your subconscious mind gaining sentience, allowing it to do what you secretly know has to be done, and completing the process. The subconscious _is_ aware of more things than the conscious, after all. All of the deaths… You weren't forced to do any of that. Those were things you secretly wanted to do. And as for the price to be paid…"

Vlad swallowed nervously.

"What is this?" he whispered.

Lukas was quiet for a moment.

"A demonic _transformation_."


	23. Chapter 22

**Thanks to Mondmaedchen, Youngbountygirl, StuffyJinx, Zaaze, Kattie, Allans, SweetHoneyBee, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, ScandinavianTrash, Chirean, Mehloveshorror, and an anon for reviewing. 200 reviews, guys. Thank you.**

 **So, did you like the little cliffhanger? In case you're wondering, there's been foreshadowing regarding the demons' true nature since Chapter 3. Anything regarding mirrors, shadows moving and the lights flickering. And also the demon that visited Vlad saying that Vlad's body is already host to a demonic presence,** _ **not**_ **that there's another demon possessing Vlad.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 22**

Vlad's eyes widened, his grip on the phone slacking. It… It couldn't be. He must have misheard it. There was no way that it was possible.

"Vlad?" Lukas prompted. "Are you alright?"

"P-please tell me you're joking," Vlad said. "Or misread it. Or… There's no way that it could…"

"Unfortunately, it's true. We also had to double check to make sure that what we were reading was correct."

"But it's impossible! It can't be right. We're not… That's not us. It can't be true. It can't…"

By now the other three were watching him closely, knowing that it was an important conversation, but he couldn't dare look at them. What Lukas was saying… it couldn't be true.

"There might still be a way to stop this," Lukas said. "We'll find a way to undo it. It won't… It won't fix everything you've done, but we can make sure that the ritual isn't completed."

"What would happen then?" Vlad asked.

"Well… There's a small amount of demonic influence to aid the process. It's what caused you to gain powers, like what you did with Elizaveta. But the influence doesn't have sentience. That's why it gave it to an aspect of your subconscious. The part that's responsible for your desires. And when the process is completed, the subconscious loses its sentience and merges with the conscious mind. The process damages the soul, until it's utterly destroyed. But the demonic influence remains, leaving you as a demon."

Vlad swallowed thickly.

"What's the process?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, the book isn't clear on that. It's basically saying that, since every person is unique, the process is unique to each individual that goes through it. The only time the process is the same is if more than one person did the spell together, and that they have the same goals in mind. I think that's what's happening with you."

Vlad took a shaky breath.

"See if you can find something," Vlad said. "Please. I think you know how important it is to stop it before it's too late."

"Of course," Lukas said. "And you need to be careful, alright?"

"You don't need to tell me twice. Thank you."

Vlad hung up the phone and sagged in the chair. It was far more horrible than he could have imagined. A demonic _transformation_? He never heard of something like that. But he had a feeling that a process like that would involve some _very_ dark magic.

"Vlad?" Matthew said. "Is everything alright?"

Vlad looked over towards his friends, and he felt a lump in his throat. How could he tell them that they weren't being manipulated by a demon, but instead by their own subconscious, acting on their deepest desires?

"What did the jerks have to say?" Lovino asked.

Vlad winced, bowing his head. If _he_ found it difficult, then he could only imagine how the others would take it.

He gasped in pain, clutching the side of his head. He could see that the others were in a similar predicament. Black spots danced in his vision, and he was starting to feel heavy.

" _I think it's time we all came together for a talk,"_ Blood spoke to him.

It would seem that his dark half had made the decision for him.

…

"Like, where are we?" Feliks asked, looking around.

The four friends found themselves in a white room, with four white chairs placed in front of four others, but Vlad knew that they were placed in front of a mirror.

"We're inside our minds," Vlad said, looking nervous. "This is the place where the conscious and subconscious minds meet."

The others looked towards him.

"What the hell are we doing here?" Lovino asked.

"Looks like the demons wanted to speak with us together," Matthew said. "Did you hear them?"

"Yeah!" Feliks exclaimed. "I totally heard Insanity before we got here."

"Then where are they?" Lovino asked, looking around.

"They're waiting for us to take a seat," Vlad said. "They're inside the mirror."

"Mirror?" Feliks asked.

Vlad didn't answer right away, going to sit in one of the chairs. The others followed his lead, and soon enough four other figures appeared in front of them, in the chairs' reflections. They looked identical, with the exception of the red eyes.

"You already know our names," Death said. "So we can skip the introductions."

"Why are we here?" Matthew asked.

"We have a lot to talk about," Blood said. "Starting with what Vlad was told in the phone call."

All eyes turned to Vlad, who bowed his head.

"Like, what is it?" Feliks asked.

Vlad lifted his head, looking at the four reflections.

"They're not demons," Vlad said. "They're manifestations of our subconscious mind gaining sentience. And independence."

"Like, what does that mean?" Feliks asked, sounding worried.

"They're part of us. Always were."

The others were silent, and they stared at their counterparts.

"That's not all," Blood said. "Is it, Vlad?"

Vlad swallowed thickly.

"There _is_ a small amount of demonic influence," Vlad said. "Enough to… to…" Vlad took a shaky breath. "To turn us into demons."

"What?!" Lovino roared. "There's no way that's possible! You've got to be kidding us."

"He's not," Decay said simply. "Want to know how that's possible?"

They all turned to look at Decay, and they each nodded their heads.

"You've suffered a lot at the hands of those bullies," Death said. " _We've_ suffered. Your thoughts have turned dark. They've corrupted your minds and souls."

"They made you think things that you wouldn't have thought if you weren't tormented by them," Insanity said. "They made you go deeper and deeper into the pits of despair. And desperation. And madness."

"And then Vlad came along," Blood said. "He had the one thing that you've been missing: magic. If you didn't befriend him, then you wouldn't have had the means to fight back."

"We don't _need_ anything!" Matthew snapped. "Especially not like this. We're not like this. You can't keep forcing us to kill."

"We're not forcing you," Death said firmly. "We're simply helping you act out on your deepest desires."

"No. We don't want this…"

"Are you sure?" Death asked.

They jumped when they heard a voice around them. Matthew paled at the sound.

 _That idiot. That stupid… Why can't they leave us alone? Why do they do that? I'd like to see them go through the things they make_ us _go through. I wish… I wish they would just_ die _._

What made Matthew clutch his hair was the fact that it was _his_ voice. Death looked at him firmly.

"No," Matthew whimpered. "I didn't… I didn't…"

"Are you trying to deny that you've ever had thoughts like this?" Death said.

"I… I…"

"So what?!" Lovino snapped. "Those are just thoughts. It doesn't mean Maple Jerk was serious."

"But _you_ were," Decay said.

The reflection shifted, and they saw Lovino sitting at a kitchen table with an older man that resembled him. Feliks and Matthew recognised him as Luciano, Lovino's uncle.

" _Why would you want guns?" Luciano asked._

" _I… I'd like to get rid of a few bastards," Lovino said, avoiding his uncle's eyes._

 _Luciano sighed, running his hand through his hair._

" _So, you're having trouble with bullies?" Luciano asked. "And you want to teach them a lesson?"_

" _Si," Lovino said._

" _And then what?"_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _You get arrested, and what you've done would just be marked as another school shooting. Memorials would be created for the kids you killed. And you'd be viewed as the monster."_

" _It wouldn't matter," Lovino said. "Not if I shoot myself too."_

" _So, you want to commit mass murder, followed by suicide? And what about your friends? How would_ they _feel about it?"_

 _Lovino swallowed thickly._

" _They're better off without me there to ruin their lives further," Lovino said. "And at least the bastards wouldn't be able to bother them anymore."_

 _There was silence between the two Italians for a long moment._

" _No," Luciano said. "I won't help you."_

" _What?" Lovino asked. "But…"_

" _I'm your uncle, and I'm not going to help you destroy your life. You'll need to find another way to deal."_

The reflection returned to normal. The four dark reflections were sitting calmly, while Lovino had his head bowed, with the others staring at him in horror.

"When was this?" Matthew asked.

"A few months ago," Lovino said. "After that, my uncles refused to do me any favours."

"Like, let's hear it then," Feliks said, turning to Insanity.

"What?" Insanity asked.

"Like, you've got something prepared for me too, don't you?"

"You mean how you asked me to help you take care of the last of them?"

Everyone's attentions turned to Feliks, and he shrank back slightly.

"Like, I guess that would be it," Feliks said in a small voice.

"That's just some proof of how tainted your minds and souls have become," Death said firmly.

"And what about me?" Vlad asked. "I wasn't here long enough for that much damage to be done. Right?"

"You're right about that," Blood said. "You're not as dark as your friends. And most of the darkness inside of you came from remnants."

"Like, remnants of _what_?" Feliks asked.

"My past encounter with a demon," Vlad whispered. "It wanted to take over my body. And if my mom hadn't interfered, it would have succeeded. But… Are you saying that…?"

"The demon gave you enough darkness to qualify," Blood said. "But your anger and pain during your first week here was also enough to set you on this path."

"If Vlad and his magic didn't arrive, then we wouldn't be having this conversation," Decay said.

"But that doesn't mean that you wouldn't have _snapped_ ," Death said. "After all, your hearts were darkened long before Vlad came here."

"Lukas spoke of a process," Vlad said. "That this was a ritual. What's the process?"

"The first step was to bring _us_ into being," Blood said. "That happened the night you broke your mirrors."

"By pure coincidence, you each broke a mirror at the same time," Insanity said. "It wouldn't have worked otherwise."

"Lukas also suggested that it was as though something _wanted_ us to do the ritual," Vlad said.

"Well, you stood in front of a mirror while your darkness was shown," Blood said. "Mirrors act as the gateways between worlds. A lot of shadow worlds got a glimpse at you, and a lot of them saw your potential."

"But nothing's really influencing you," Decay said. "You didn't go seeking out your victims. And there wasn't even a reason for any of those forces to bring your victims to you."

"Like you said," Vlad said. "All of the murders were out of self-defence."

"Exactly," Blood said.

"The second step was to manifest," Death said.

The mirror shifted again. They saw Matthew and Vlad, along with Sadiq. Vlad was clutching the back of his neck, where a cut had been made. The image changed to show Matthew at the bottom of the stairs after a tumble, and he slowly stood, his eyes red. The image changed to show Lovino, standing in front of a mirror and crying with his clothes covered in food. The last image showed Feliks, being molested by Allen.

"This might not have been chronological," Blood said once the mirror changed back. "But what happened to Feliks is important for the next step."

"I had to skip ahead a little," Insanity said. "I couldn't allow him to continue with what he was doing. I have some access to the minds of potential victims. And that day, he had every intention to take it farther than before."

"W-what do you m-mean?" Feliks asked, looking pale.

"If I didn't interfere, then he would have raped you."

The others looked horrified, and they turned to Feliks, who had clamped his hand against his mouth, trembling slightly.

"The next step was to kill someone, with _us_ in control, and you unaware," Death said.

The mirror changed again to show Vlad and Matthew, circling Sadiq and Carlos. The next time it changed showed Lovino and Kyo. And then it shifted back.

"Of course, you're all in this together," Decay said. "So we had to wait for all of you to be on the same page."

"The next step was for us to kill someone, with you conscious of what happened," Blood said.

The mirror changed again to show Feliks with the three truants that attacked him the previous week. The mirror shifted again, showing Vlad being pinned down by Elizaveta, Ivan and Natalia. The next time it shifted showed Gilbert with Matthew's hand in his chest. And the last image showed Lovino with Antonio.

The mirror changed back, and Vlad had his eyes clenched shut.

"I think that Lukas was wrong," he said. "There's _no_ way that any of that was what we secretly wanted."

"Maybe not _how_ we do it," Blood said. "But the results, yes."

"Insanity, Blood, Death and Decay," Matthew whispered. "Why those names?"

"I think you can figure that one out," Death said.

"No, I can't. I've been trying this whole time, but it doesn't make sense."

"Then let's elaborate," Insanity said. "Feliks, do you remember the rumours when you came to town?"

Feliks flinched.

"That I had some screws loose," he said. "That I belong in the nuthouse. That I'm a _freak_. Just because I like to crossdress."

"And Vlad, what does everyone call you?" Blood asked.

"A vampire," Vlad said. "That's it. Your names are linked to specific ways they torture us."

"Nicknames and rumours, yes."

"And because I'm treated as a ghost, you're called 'Death'," Matthew said.

"And because my name means 'to ruin', and those bastards found out about it," Lovino said. "Ruin and decay are pretty damn close to each other."

"Exactly," Decay said.

"How many steps are left in the process?" Vlad asked.

"One," Blood said.

"What? What is it?"

The four dark sides smirked.

…

"So, both of your brothers are missing?" Feliciano asked.

"Ja," Ludwig said, massaging his temples. "Vater is beside himself with worry."

"And I still haven't heard anything from Kyo," Kiku said.

"But, they're tough," Feliciano said, smiling reassuringly. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

"Feliciano," Romulus said, approaching his grandson. "You're still on duty."

The three friends were at Romulus's restaurant, and Feliciano was currently working. He chuckled sheepishly, before he stood up.

"I'll talk to you later then," Feliciano said, rushing to his next table.

Romulus sighed, shaking his head.

"If there's one thing I can say about Lovino, it's that he at least waited until _after_ his shifts to talk to his friends," Romulus said. "Hey, can I ask you two something?"

The two nodded their heads, and Romulus took a seat next to Kiku.

"Do you know if Lovino's having trouble with the other kids?" Romulus asked.

Kiku and Ludwig exchanged a look before they nodded.

"How much of that is Lovi's fault?" Romulus asked.

"Nothing, really," Ludwig said. "It all started when he decided to befriend Matthew."

"And a lot of the torture he gets is because he's defending his friends," Kiku said.

"Those are the only times when you could say that Lovino's at fault," Ludwig said.

"But it's not bad," Romulus sighed. "Standing up for his friends… Grazie. Enjoy your meal."

And Romulus stood and walked back to the kitchen. The two friends exchanged a look.

"Let's hope that all of this comes to an end," Kiku said. "Before something _really_ bad happens."

…

After the four of them had returned from the meeting with their counterparts they retreated to different parts of the house. Lovino claimed the kitchen as his refuge, Matthew the living room, Feliks the bathroom and Vlad his bedroom.

They still had a lot to process, and they didn't really want to be around each other. It was human nature to try to blame other people, and they indeed wanted to blame each other. But they also knew that they _couldn't_ blame each other.

Wanting to kill the people that tortured them… They had to admit that the thoughts had indeed crossed their minds on more than one occasion. Even Vlad, who didn't go through it for as long as the others, had thought about it once or twice. Though, his thoughts were more in the line of simply allowing the demons to go about their business.

Vlad looked up towards the dresser, and the mirror that rested there. He had had to replace it, but he didn't realise that there was something more that came out than just a broken mirror.

He walked closer to it, and he saw a familiar image. It was the demon that had attempted to take control of his body.

"I've been meaning to stop by again," the demon said. "I take it you know what's happening now."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Vlad asked.

"I had no reason to do so. It was more amusing to have you learn the truth on your own. But I've been keeping a close watch. And I must say, you're progressing faster than those before you. It's as though you were _destined_ to become demons."

Vlad frowned.

"Leave me alone," Vlad said.

"Of course," the demon said. "But I'll still keep watch. I personally can't wait to see the conclusion."

The demon disappeared from the mirror, leaving Vlad's strained face behind. He sank to his knees, feeling the bile rising in his throat.

The last step in the process had horrified them all. The demons had said that it was something that they had wanted to do, but they didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to accept it. They didn't want to believe that they would be willing to do it.

They didn't even _want_ to become demons. So they had no reason to go through with it. Except… Except the promise that it would all end.

Francis had apologised, and if he was sincere, then it was one less… If the others called a ceasefire, then they wouldn't…

Vlad curled up into a ball.

In order to complete the ritual, they would have to consciously, _willingly_ murder someone.


	24. Chapter 23

**Thanks to Olivia Kirkland, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Kattie, Youngbountygirl, SweetHoneyBee, Zaaze and ScandinavianTrash for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 23**

The four of them went to school the next day, already dreading what would happen. The 'demons' had told them that they would no longer kill anyone without their permissions. But as Insanity had revealed, it was actually pretty easy for them to gain permission.

Feliks had actually _asked_ Insanity to deal with the rest of the bullies, while Lovino had seriously thought of doing something about them, even asking his uncle, who was pretty high up in a mafia organisation (if not the head of said organisation), to give him the weapons to be able to achieve those goals. Not even Matthew was immune to those thoughts.

As it turned out, Vlad was the lesser of _four_ evils. Blood had revealed that most of the darkness tainting Vlad came from an encounter with a demon. Vlad had explained that no one ever walked away from a demon unscathed, whether it was the body, mind or soul that became damaged. And Blood had never mentioned that Vlad had had thoughts like his friends did. That while he wanted it to stop, he wasn't at the point where he would take that desperate a leap.

They knew that their bullies would do something. They were still on a warpath, and only Antonio had sufficiently tried to do something about it. The rest was just normal harassment. No revenge involved yet.

Which meant that there was a very real chance that, should one of the bullies decide to act on their wish for revenge, the quartet would unleash their demonic side, killing the bully and thus completing the transformation.

They had to hope that they didn't snap.

…

Lovino bit his lip during homeroom. Feliks was sitting next to him, and it would be easy to talk about what was on his mind.

The rest of the class decided to ignore them. By now, everyone knew of the police's involvement, and some of them had been interviewed by the police as well. They didn't want to cause problems, and they didn't want to attract attention, so they kept their distance. No matter how difficult it was.

The only people that paid them any mind were Arthur and Alfred, but for different reasons. Alfred was hostile, and they feared that he would try something soon enough. Arthur, on the other hand, knew what was going on with them and was afraid of what could happen. He kept an eye on Alfred as well, and it didn't escape their notice.

Since it was just homeroom and they didn't have to worry about much (except for those still busy with homework), they could do whatever they wanted. So it wouldn't be odd if Lovino and Feliks spoke to each other.

"Hey, Pink Jerk," Lovino said lowly.

Feliks turned to him, his eyes blank but unsure about what Lovino might want.

"I think it's time we move out of Vampire Jerk's house," Lovino said.

Feliks's eyes widened, and he turned to better face Lovino.

"Like, what do you mean?" Feliks asked.

"If we keep hanging around each other, even after school, then we're only going to drive each other insane," Lovino said. "No offence."

Feliks narrowed his eyes, knowing exactly what, or _who_ , Lovino was referring to.

"Like, so?" Feliks asked.

"We could barely _look_ at each other after you-know-what," Lovino said. "What do you think would happen if we stay in the same house for much longer?"

Feliks flinched, and Lovino decided to continue.

"And, think about it," Lovino said. "If one of us snaps and does… _that_ , how would you feel? Because I'd feel a little scared, I think. And… if _I_ were the one to snap, I don't want to hurt the rest of you. And I don't want to drag the rest of you into it."

Feliks bit his lip, averting his eyes. Finally he nodded, and he turned to Lovino with tears in his eyes.

"Like, just promise that we'd still be friends," Feliks said.

"Of course we would," Lovino said, surprised. "Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because, like you said, we couldn't even look at each other."

"Feliks, you're crazy, wild, frustrating, and one of the nicest people I know. You don't judge anyone, and in turn you hope that they don't judge you. You're comfortable with being who you are, which is more than I can say for myself. And I can't imagine _not_ having you in my life."

Feliks's eyes had widened when Lovino had addressed him by his name, and he listened carefully. Tears kept welling in his eyes as a small smile grew on his face.

Lovino didn't _dare_ look around him, though. He didn't want to see how many of his classmates had decided to stop ignoring them in favour of listening to their conversation. He especially didn't want to see if Alfred was watching.

Before either of them could say anything else, though, the bell rang, signalling the start of the new period. The two wouldn't be able to speak about this again until lunch time, when they were joined by Matthew and Vlad.

Arthur had listened to the conversation, and he was pleased to see that they weren't _too_ torn apart by it. At the very least, they weren't blaming each other. And at least they didn't confront him about any of it.

He and Lukas had searched around, but there was nothing relating to how to stop the process. So the four of them were stuck being potential demons, unless they managed to complete the ritual. And he had no idea what would happen then.

The worst part was that they couldn't even tell anyone. They couldn't get help. It wasn't as though they had _deliberately_ tried to perform that ritual. But if they were to go to someone like Arthur's parents, then it wouldn't be seen that way.

…

"I kind of don't mind Death so much," Matthew said.

"What?" Vlad asked incredulously.

"The invisibility thing."

The others nodded in agreement, seeing how that one could be a useful skill for someone in their position.

It was lunchtime, and they sat at their usual table, the rest of the school thankfully ignoring them. But Vlad had noticed earlier that when Mathias had made a beeline for him, someone had pulled him aside, giving Vlad enough time to get away. He thought that it was just luck, but the same had happened when he saw Natalia and Ivan. The thought that their schoolmates were actively trying to prevent any more instances of bullying made him feel comforted.

"Anyway, I think it's time we move out of Vampire Jerk's house," Lovino said. "We'll only make each other nervous if we have to stay in the same place together."

"He has a point," Matthew said. "We might end up hurting each other."

"Alright," Vlad said. "But Matthew, I don't think you should go home. I don't want you to have to stay with your brother. At least not until your parents decide it's safe for you to go back."

Matthew nodded, smiling at his friend's thoughtfulness.

"Like, you can stay with either Vlad or me," Feliks said. "Right?"

Vlad nodded his head, and Matthew smiled.

"And I'll have to go back home," Lovino said, sighing. "Let's hope my nonno waits before sending me back to the restaurant."

"I think he'd wait a while," Matthew said. "He wouldn't want to risk any of his customers getting sick, and then if it came out that they got sick because of someone at his restaurant…"

Lovino flinched.

"You're right," Lovino said. "He wouldn't want me there to ruin his reputation."

"I didn't mean it like that," Matthew said. "If it became clear who that someone was, then they would most likely lose their job. But if it came out that it was because of the owner's grandson…"

"Like, it could mean a lot of problems for you too," Feliks said. "It's not just _his_ reputation on the line."

Lovino sighed, before he nodded his head.

"So, it's possibly only Matthew staying with me tonight?" Vlad asked.

"Looks like it," Matthew said.

…

"Looks like they've decided to move out of the vampire's house," Alfred said.

The others turned to him.

"How do you know?" Mathias asked.

"They were getting sappy in homeroom after discussing it," Alfred said.

"I thought you only had Feliks and Lovi in your class?" Ivan asked.

"I do. But they talked about it."

"Awesome," Mathias said. "With them split up, we can get each of them."

"Get _who_?"

Mathias jumped and spun around, seeing Miguel there looking extremely annoyed. His arms were crossed as he looked down at Mathias.

"N-no one," Mathias quickly said. "Anyway, where's Toni?"

Miguel sighed.

"I hoped _you_ knew," Miguel said. "He didn't come home yesterday."

"Maybe it's…" Alfred started, looking towards the four.

"Don't even think about it," Miguel said. "They have nothing to do with this."

"And how can you say that?" Ivan asked cheerfully.

"Simple: I actually think logically. Anyway, you should leave them alone. In case you haven't noticed, you're the most hated students in school right now. The police are asking around, and everyone's eager to share what they've seen."

"Why?" Natalia asked. "If they do that, they'll only reveal that they did nothing to stop us."

"And what about Allen and the others?" Alfred asked. "What about their murders?"

"You're really stupid, aren't you?" Miguel sighed. "Everyone who was murdered or is missing happens to be one of you. And even if the four of them aren't involved, there could always be a serial killer that doesn't approve of bullying. And the police have more leads regarding your actions than they have regarding the murders. Until they find something else, they can't do anything."

The four at the table were silent, and Miguel turned to leave.

"I don't believe that any of them are involved in the murders," Miguel said. "But if they _are_ , then honestly, I can't blame them."

…

"Merci for helping me," Francis said.

"It's no problem," Yao said, smiling.

The two of them were members of the Gourmet Club, and they were currently in their clubroom, which was one of the Home EC rooms that no one ever used, save for them.

"So, you really want to make it up to all of them?" Yao asked.

"Oui," Francis sighed. "I can't believe I went so far."

"You were stupid."

"And you continue to be blunt, mon ami."

Yao grinned.

"Sometimes you need to be blunt," Yao said. "If someone had been blunt to you earlier, then you wouldn't have done half the things you've done."

Francis flinched.

"Non, there were people that told us before," Francis said. "We just ignored them."

"Like I said, stupid," Yao said.

…

Lovino was on his way back to class when he suddenly felt a hand on his arm. He spun around, expecting to see one of his tormentors, only to see the pretty Belgian girl.

She smiled apologetically, but Lovino kept his scowl in place.

"Hey there, Lovino," she said. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," he said brusquely. "If you'll excuse me, I'm late for class."

She looked hurt, but he didn't care. He spun back around before stomping off. He didn't see her lean against the wall, looking as though she was about to cry. He was usually polite to girls. But after what happened in the past, he wasn't willing to trust Bella.

…

"What are you going to do now?" Ian asked.

"We can't do anything until school is finished," Wulfric said. "I'm going on a truancy check. I've received the list earlier."

"You're still bothering? You know they're not interested in attending. _Why_ they were even enrolled is beyond me."

"It's something to do," Wulfric said, leaving the office.

"Oh, _sure_ ," Ian said sarcastically. "It's not like we have three murder cases to deal with, or two missing persons cases."

The problem was that they had nothing to go on. The only lead they had was that all of them were involved in the bullying of Vladimir Lupei, Feliks Łukasiewicz, Lovino Vargas and Matthew Williams. And so they also focused on the bullying of those four.

But some of the things were… disturbing. He had spoken to a Belgian student the previous day, and she recounted how Antonio had used her to torment Lovino. She would flirt with him because she had been told that he had a crush on her, and it was in her nature to tease the boys that she suspected liked her. It was her way of getting to know them. She and Antonio were friends, and so they used to hang out around each other a lot. Then once, while she wasn't looking, Antonio had snatched her phone to send a message to Lovino, telling him to meet her in the old park. But of course, _that_ didn't happen. Instead, Antonio's friends were waiting for him, with Lovino being dressed quite fancily, or that was what she heard. She later received a photo on her cell phone, which had been passed around to the whole school.

The photo had been of Lovino, completely naked and covered in something white (Ian knew enough to know that it wasn't _that_ ) with a bunch of the older, larger boys surrounding him in a manner that made it look… suspicious.

Apparently, according to what she discovered later, they had told him that no one would ever love him, and the fact that he thought that anyone would _ever_ be interested was nothing but pathetic. The poor girl didn't deserve to have her life ruined by him. And they also went further that not even a dirty old pervert would think that he was even good enough to be a whore. But that didn't stop them from orchestrating the picture.

The worst part, according to her, was that she had started to genuinely like Lovino, but he would barely even look at her. They had told him that she was completely involved, and that she was disgusted at the thought that a freak like him was in love with her.

And then it turned out that he _wasn't_ in love with her, but rather hoped that they could just be friends. It _destroyed_ her that someone so fragile was only looking for friendship, and she had ruined his faith, even if she didn't intend to do so.

He was humiliated and broken down. She told Ian that not long after that she had received a call from Matthew, asking her if she was happy. It turned out that Matthew had arrived just when Lovino was ready to commit suicide.

He wondered how these things had slipped their notice for so many months. How did they not even hear a _whisper_ about what was happening? And why didn't anyone try to stop them?

Ian bit his lip, contemplating his next actions. He couldn't interview anyone else until school was finished for the day. And while it wasn't exactly by the book, he needed to share something with someone.

…

Wulfric sighed in frustration. The place was littered with cigarette stubs, and he wondered how anyone could live like that. There was even dried vomit near the door.

It was the third house he decided to check. Neither of the other two houses had their residents present. In fact, the houses looked almost deserted.

He knocked and waited a while, but again there was no answer. He tested the door, and to his surprise it was unlocked. He opened the door wider.

And gasped in shock.

…

Matthew sat during his English lesson absentmindedly biting his pen. He shared this lesson with Alfred, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to dodge his brother like he had been able to do earlier in the day. He wouldn't be able to simply slip out of notice.

But what bothered him was the fact that Alfred seemed _happy_ about something. That couldn't be good.

Sooner than Matthew would have liked, the bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson. Matthew tried to pack as fast as possible, but the others were faster, and soon he was left almost completely alone with just his brother.

"See you at home," Alfred said, moving away.

"What do you mean?" Matthew asked nervously.

Alfred turned back to him, a lazy smirk on his face.

"I overheard your friends this morning," Alfred said. "You have trouble in paradise, I hear. I also heard that you'll be moving out of the vampire's house."

"You're wrong," Matthew said, frowning. "I'm still staying with Vlad, _away_ from you. And we're not fighting, if that's what you're insinuating. Lovino and Feliks just feel that they've imposed on Vlad long enough. But I'm still staying with them."

Alfred scowled, the anger that Matthew had expected returning. He took a step closer to Matthew, and the other tried hard not to shrink back.

"Do you have _any_ idea what kind of crap I've been going through at home?" Alfred demanded.

"It's your own fault, Alfred," Matthew said calmly. "You started all of this. And now you're upset that everyone knows exactly what you've done. Karma managed to catch up to you, and you hate it."

Matthew cried out in pain when Alfred punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. As Alfred moved closer, Matthew tried another strategy.

"Do you remember the other night when I fell down the stairs?" Matthew asked.

"What about it?" Alfred asked.

"If I had broken my neck or something in the fall, how would you feel? What would you do if I died?"

"What would be the difference?" Alfred asked coldly. "You're as good as a ghost anyway."

And Alfred turned to leave, as though Matthew was no longer worth his time. Matthew picked himself up, his eyes flashing red.

At least he knew where he stood with his brother. While he had suspected, he was sure now.

" _What are you going to do?"_ Death asked.

"Do I even _need_ to tell you?" Matthew muttered.

 **I wanted to add Belgium, and I wanted her to have a strained relationship with Lovino. And for her to regret her part in anything that had happened.**


	25. Chapter 24

**Thanks to ToolboxHDR, Alans, Shattering Colors, Mondmaedchen, Zaaze, Kattie, Olivia Kirkland, SweetHoneyBee, Youngbountygirl, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, StuffyJinx, ScandinavianTrash and two anons for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 24**

Romulus ran his hand through his hair. Sitting on the chair across from him was Ian Kirkland, with a tape recorder lying between them on the table.

Ian had played his interview with Bella for Romulus. He remembered Lovino's insecurities regarding his grandfather and wanted to be certain that the older man knew the things his grandson went through.

"How could I not know any of this?" Romulus asked.

"Simple," Ian said. "We see what we want to see. And the last thing we want to see is our children – or in your case, grandchildren – suffering."

Romulus sighed, shaking his head.

"I still feel that I should have _seen_ something," Romulus said. "I didn't… How could I not have noticed that he was sad? I mean… if that part about the suicide was right… And I've been so harsh on him. How… How much of his suffering do you think is my fault?"

Ian hesitated, not sure how to answer. Luckily, he didn't have to. His phone rang, and upon looking at the screen he saw Wulfric. He grew worried, wondering if something had happened.

"What's wrong?" Ian asked.

"We have three more corpses," Wulfric said. "Klaus Schmidt, Andres Hernandez and Claude Pérec."

"Where are you now?"

"Schmidt's house."

"Alright. I'm on my way now."

Ian hung up the phone, looking apologetically at Romulus. The Italian shrugged, waving him off.

"Duty calls," Romulus said. "I understand. I need to go pick up my grandsons anyway."

"Be sure to let Lovino know how much you care about him," Ian said, smiling.

"If I see him," Romulus sighed. "Lately, he's been staying with his friend. He was sick, and so was the friend, and they thought it would be best to stay together. I also didn't want Lovino's brothers to get sick."

Ian shook his head.

"You might want to be careful about things like that," Ian said. "Remember, teenagers interpret things differently than we do. They don't have enough certainty about who they are, and they see anything as a means to tear them down. Especially someone having genuine troubles, like Lovino."

Romulus nodded his head in understanding.

…

" _Are you sure about this?"_ Death asked.

'He doesn't value my life,' Matthew thought, knowing that Death could hear him. 'He's ruined it for too long. And he's ruining my friends'.'

" _Are you really prepared to end his, though?"_

Matthew sighed.

'I thought you _wanted_ me to do it.'

" _It doesn't matter too much. At the end of the day, my existence isn't threatened. It doesn't matter which route you take."_

'Do you think I'll regret it?'

"… _No. You would be incapable of regret once you've gone through with it."_

'Then I see no reason why I shouldn't go through with it. So, any ideas about how I can do it?'

Matthew heard Death chuckling in his head.

" _I have an idea or two."_

…

"Yay," Feliciano said, clinging onto Lovino. "You're coming back home."

Lovino scowled, trying to push Feliciano off of him. Marcello was watching, a smile on his face.

"It's really good to have you back, Lovi," Marcello said. "Things have been pretty crazy. It's rough being the only sane man in that house."

"Whoever said that you're sane?" Lovino asked, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Hey, that's mean."

"I'm not known for being nice," Lovino said matter-of-factly.

"But you're honest," Feliciano said, holding Lovino tighter. "That's good too."

"Are we interrupting?"

Lovino turned around to see Vlad and Feliks standing behind them, amused smirks on their faces. Lovino blushed, before he pushed Feliciano away.

"H-how long have you been standing there?" Lovino asked.

"Long enough for you to hear a reminder of how great you really are," Vlad said, his smirk turning into a smile.

Lovino blushed further, and Marcello turned an interested gaze on Vlad.

"You must be the new student," Marcello said. "I'm Marcello. I'm a year younger than you."

"Oh yeah, I've heard of you," Vlad said.

"I hope it's not too bad."

"It was decent."

Marcello chuckled, already knowing his brother well. Lovino cleared his throat.

"Any of you seen the Maple Jerk?" Lovino asked.

"Nu," Vlad said, shaking his head and smile falling. "I hope he's not in trouble."

Feliciano was standing so that he was slightly hiding behind Lovino. The older Italian noticed this and turned to his brother.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Lovino asked.

"Ve, he's scary," Feliciano whimpered.

Vlad flinched, and Lovino rolled his eyes.

"Feli, he prefers romance movies," Lovino said. "Nothing about him is scary."

"H-hey," Vlad said, blushing. "Don't go telling everyone."

"Would you rather want people to keep thinking that you prefer creature features?" Lovino asked, eyebrow raised.

"Well, it _is_ less embarrassing…"

Feliks chuckled, and they were distracted by the arrival of Romulus, who wrapped all three his grandsons into a bear hug.

"What are you doing?" Lovino yelped.

"I'm hugging my precious grandsons," Romulus said.

"Then why am _I_ being hugged?"

It was as though a record had been forcibly stopped, or at least that was how everyone saw it. Everyone in the group flinched. Romulus released the group hug in order to hug Lovino.

"You _are_ precious to me," Romulus said. "Don't forget it."

Feliciano and Marcello exchanged a look, not knowing what to say. Feliciano was normally clueless about other people's feelings, but even he could see the tension there.

After a while Romulus pulled away, placing his hands on Lovino's shoulders. Lovino avoided everyone's eyes.

"I'm feeling better," Lovino said quietly. "I think I've stayed with the Vampire Jerk long enough."

Romulus was about to say something when Marcello spoke.

"That's good," Marcello said. "About you feeling better. And it's also good to know that you're calling someone 'jerk'. You only do that if you like someone."

Romulus glanced towards Feliks and Vlad, who nodded their heads. Romulus sighed.

"Alright," he said. "Should we get your stuff, or do you already have it?"

"It's fine if he leaves some stuff at my place," Vlad interrupted. "I have a feeling he'll be sleeping over again pretty soon."

"And I didn't take too much stuff with me in the first place," Lovino said.

Romulus nodded, giving Vlad a smile.

"Thanks for taking care of him," Romulus said.

"It was no problem," Vlad said sheepishly.

Romulus nodded again, before he started to lead his grandsons away, keeping an arm around Lovino's shoulders. It was clear to everyone that Lovino wasn't too happy with the contact, but he wouldn't really get contact like that, so he allowed it to continue.

"I hope things go better for him," Vlad said.

"Tak," Feliks said. "So, when was the last time you spoke to _your_ family?"

Vlad winced.

"I spoke to them the first night I've been here," Vlad said. "I should probably call them again, huh?"

"Like, that would be a good idea," Feliks said. "You don't want them to think you totally abandoned them."

Vlad nodded his head.

"What's going on?"

The two turned to see Matthew, looking a little pale.

"Hey," Feliks said. "Like, what happened?"

"I just… had a run-in with Alfred," Matthew said.

"Did he hurt you?" Vlad asked worriedly.

"He… He pushed me down the stairs the other day. I asked him what he would do if it ended up killing me. He said that it wouldn't matter. I was already like a ghost."

"That bastard!" Feliks exclaimed, pulling Matthew into a hug. "Like, don't listen to a word he says."

"What did you do afterward?" Vlad asked.

"I went to the bathroom," Matthew said. "What he said… It really hurt me, you know? I just… I needed a place to cry."

Vlad frowned. In spite of Matthew's words, he didn't look as though he had been crying. Or perhaps it was just the glasses making it difficult to see?

"Like, it shouldn't have happened," Feliks said. "Like, your brother is a total asshole. He doesn't deserve someone as cool as you to be his brother."

Matthew gave a small smile as Feliks hugged him, but Vlad hung back. His eyes were scanning the crowd, and he saw Alfred climbing into a car. His mother came to pick him up. It was still too risky for Matthew to return home, so she didn't wait for him. But Vlad couldn't help but think that there was something different about Alfred's aura.

"Like, we should probably go back now," Feliks said.

"Yeah," Matthew said, before he turned apologetically towards Vlad. "I hope you don't mind me still staying with you."

Vlad smiled.

"It's no problem," Vlad said. "I wouldn't want you to go back to your brother. Who knows what he'd do to you?"

Matthew flinched, nodding his head.

"Y-yeah," Matthew said. "I just wish I knew what went wrong between us."

…

"What have you managed to figure out?" Ian asked, looking at the scene.

Wulfric sighed, crouched next to one of the victims with a pair of gloves on his hands.

"It almost looks like they killed themselves," Wulfric said.

"What do you mean?"

"It's particularly clear in Pérec's case. His hands are wrapped around his throat. Schmidt and Hernandez are a bit more ambiguous. Schmidt is slightly crouched against the wall, as though he was crouching next to it when his head was slammed against it. Hernandez has a broken bottle lodged in his throat. It could have been pushed there by someone else, but it doesn't look like he tried to staunch the bleeding."

Ian frowned, looking at the three corpses.

"Any connection with Lupei's group?" Ian asked.

"Not that I'm aware of," Wulfric said. "The only thing I can think of is that Schmidt lives on the same street as Lupei and Łukasiewicz."

"It's not enough of a connection," Ian said, sighing.

"There's also something else I found," Wulfric said, pushing a plastic bag closer to Ian.

The Brit frowned, crouching down. While he and Wulfric were speaking, he had put on his own pair of gloves. So he didn't worry about contaminating the evidence as he took the bag, which contained a gun.

"Where was this?" Ian asked.

"In the living room," Wulfric said. "All the bullets are there, and it hasn't been used at all on our three vics. But do you want to know what the part is that's bothering me?"

"What is it?"

"That's _mine_."

…

"Like, good luck, you two," Feliks said, his duffle bag over his shoulder.

They were standing in front of Vlad's house. Vlad smiled reassuringly.

"Take care, Feliks," Vlad said. "See you tomorrow."

"Like, yeah," Feliks said. "Tomorrow."

Vlad and Matthew walked into Vlad's house while Feliks started to walk away. The Pole had walked about two blocks before he came to a sudden stop.

"Uh oh," he muttered.

He could see activity at the house where he had been dragged in by those other three. The ones that had almost attacked him. The ones that Insanity had forced to kill themselves.

The police had apparently discovered their corpses, and Feliks started to panic. What if they found out about what they've done? What if they found out what was happening to them?

He forced himself to relax. There was no way that the officers would be able to figure it out. They had been careful to not leave any traces when they had dumped the gun there, and Feliks hadn't touched anything when he had been inside.

At least, he hoped so.

Feliks started walking again. There was no way that the officers would be able to find a connection between them and that house. And if they did, then Feliks would tell the truth: that they had dragged him in the house and were threatening to molest or possibly rape him, but then they started acting strange – probably on drugs, which would be a lie, but believable – and Feliks took the opportunity to get away. And if asked why he didn't report it, he would simply say that he had been afraid. It wouldn't exactly be a lie.

" _And I could always deal with them in ways that doesn't involve killing them,"_ Insanity said.

Feliks took a deep breath, calming his nerves. He continued on his way, hoping that the officers didn't notice him and end up asking him any questions.

…

"Hey, I have a bit of a headache," Matthew said. "Do you mind if I rest on the couch?"

"Sure," Vlad said, looking at him worriedly. "Do whatever you want."

Matthew smiled gratefully, before heading to the living room. Vlad was about to head to his bedroom when he heard a car coming to a stop outside his home. He felt his stomach drop, before he turned back, opening the door.

He was surprised to see Francis with another upperclassman. Francis was carrying something covered in a lid, while the other had a basket of… something. When Francis saw that Vlad had opened the door he smiled.

"Bonjour," Francis greeted. "I hope I'm not bothering you."

"What are you doing?" Vlad asked.

"Think of this as… my way of atoning," Francis said, dropping the smile.

Francis handed the thing with the lid over, and Vlad hesitantly took it.

"It's a cake," Francis explained. "I thought you four could share it."

"Thanks," Vlad said. "But Feliks and Lovino went home to their own houses."

"Oh," Francis said, looking disappointed.

"We also made a lot of light snacks," the other said, handing the basket to Vlad. "Hi, I'm Yao. I'm in the Gourmet Club with Francis."

"Vlad," Vlad introduced. He turned back to Francis. "Um, thanks, I guess."

"Please, if there's anything else I can do, let me know," Francis said.

"Um, okay."

Francis smiled, and Yao tugged on his shirt. The Frenchman nodded to him, before turning back to Vlad.

"Well, we'll be leaving now," Francis said. "We won't bother you any longer. I hope you enjoy that."

Francis waved while they returned to the car. Vlad watched in stupefaction as Francis drove off, before turning his attention to the two things they gave him.

"Well, it would be such a waste _not_ to eat it," Vlad mused.

He used his foot to close the door, before taking the gifts to the kitchen. Matthew was watching from the couch, and he frowned.

"What are those?" he asked.

"Cake and snacks, apparently," Vlad said. "Francis dropped them off, along with this other guy. I think his name was Yao."

"Yao?" Matthew repeated. "I didn't even know that he was friends with Francis."

"Apparently they're in the Gourmet Club together."

"Oh yeah…"

Matthew had followed him into the kitchen, and Vlad removed the lid. Sure enough, a chocolate mousse cake could be found, and the two stared in wonder.

"I've heard that they're good cooks," Matthew said. "But this…"

"It looks great," Vlad said. "It would almost be a shame to eat it."

"Almost," Matthew said, smiling. "Even if he wasn't serious about apologising, we can trust the cake."

"Why?"

"If there's one thing Francis doesn't mess with, it's food. Especially food that he made. One time, Gilbert put laxatives in his food that Lovino made at the restaurant and complained that the restaurant gave him food poisoning. Lovino got in trouble for not being careful about preparing the food. When Francis found out about it, he went ballistic about it. I was nearby when he chewed Gilbert out. And even though Gilbert couldn't understand French, the sentiments were made clear. And believe me, you _don't_ want to know all the things Francis said to Gilbert that day. Francis ended up convincing Lovino's grandfather that Gilbert had made himself a sandwich with ham that already had a greenish tint, and that it wasn't the restaurant's fault. When I asked him about it, he said that he didn't approve of anyone tampering with food."

"He has standards," Vlad said, nodding his head. "Do you think we should take some to Feliks and Lovino? Francis was expecting them to be here."

"Wait," Matthew said. "Alfred said he heard them talking this morning. I think he told the others."

Vlad paused.

"You don't think something would happen, do you?" Vlad asked.

"If Alfred _did_ tell the others…" Matthew said. "Lovino would be fine, since he lives with his family. But Feliks would be vulnerable… And so would the two of us."

"Do you think we should warn him?"

Matthew nodded, and he retreated to the living room to retrieve his phone. Vlad, meanwhile, was searching for a proper knife that he could use to cut the cake. No need to let it go to waste.

…

"Like, thanks for warning me," Feliks said. "And, like, totally save me some cake."

He hung up the phone and sighed. He hoped nothing bad would happen.

…

"What do you mean, it's yours?" Ian asked.

"I know what my firearms look like," Wulfric said. "That thing disappeared around the same time that Gilbert did."

"Then… how did it get _here_?"

"I don't know," Wulfric sighed. "But I'm going to check for fingerprints. If someone stole it… And if it's Gilbert that took it, then… why, and how did it get _here_? And where is _he_?"

Ian frowned.

"This is just becoming more and more bizarre," Ian said.

…

Lovino had retreated to his bedroom. He was tired, and he wasn't used to his grandfather being so affectionate towards him.

His eyes fell on the rosary on the dresser, and he felt his stomach drop. It looked so innocent, but made Lovino feel nervous. Hesitantly, he went nearer, until he could touch it.

He hesitated, before he grabbed it. He winced slightly at the pain before dropping it again. He stared at his hand, which had a cross-shaped burn on it. But there was more.

It didn't hurt as much as before.

" _That's because you're losing faith,"_ Decay whispered.

Lovino knew it was true. Angels never came to his rescue. But demons _did_. And he was losing his faith in the powers of heaven.

 **Originally those three were supposed to be nameless OCs, but I couldn't think of names, so they're kind of the 2PBad Touch Trio. I altered the names slightly. I also chose Pérec because I couldn't think of a French name that was similar to Bonnefoy, and since we're doing Georges Perec's** _ **W ou le souvenir d'enfance**_ **, the name popped up. And in the novel itself, it was said that Perec isn't exactly the French name without the accent on the first e, and I also searched for it.**


	26. Chapter 25

**Thanks to Trapaopo, ToolboxHDR, Kattie, Zaaze, Olivia Kirkland, Allans, StuffyJinx, Shattering Colors, ScandinavianTrash, Trying To Try My Best and three anons for reviewing.**

 **I know a few of you are disappointed with the previous chapter. But there were certain things that I wanted to happen that I wanted to keep in the same chapter. I did set the stage for it, but didn't get a chance to actually use it. As it is, what I wanted to write in the previous chapter makes up more than 2200 words of this chapter, and I like to keep the wordcounts at about 3000. So, you can see just how big it is that I wanted to add.**

 **And Trapaopo, I** _ **wanted**_ **to do it like that, but the story took a different direction. And I keep asking myself why the questions I know I have to answer are always guest reviews.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 25**

Vlad sighed, looking worriedly at Matthew. After calling Feliks, the Canadian had practically passed out on the couch, whimpering in pain. Vlad had sliced a piece of cake for him as well, but when he tried to bring it to him, Matthew had looked at him with bloodshot eyes. So instead, Vlad had retrieved a glass of water and an aspirin, which Matthew happily took.

He hoped that the headache wasn't anything serious. He also hoped that it was a _natural_ headache, and not the result of anything Death was doing. He also felt bad, because Matthew had wanted to sleep it off, but they were interrupted by Francis's arrival. He feared that the headache had gotten worse by waiting for a while.

Shaking his head, Vlad took his plate with cake to his room. He would give Matthew all the space he needed. He didn't want to make the headache worse.

…

"What did I tell you about videogames, Alfred?" Megan Williams demanded. "You're grounded, remember?"

"Come on, how long are you going to torture me?" Alfred asked.

"It's not torture. It's punishment. And until you apologise to your brother, and _mean_ it."

"Why _should_ I?"

"Because he's your _brother_. And you've done a lot of awful things to him. Do you realise that you're facing the possibility of expulsion?"

"How do you know that it really happened? Mattie could just be lying, and using the police to do so."

Megan sighed in frustration.

"Alfred, the police wouldn't get involved if it wasn't serious," she said. "And Matthew wouldn't do something like that."

"How do you know?" Alfred demanded.

"Because if he was going to do something like that, then he wouldn't have wanted you to attend this school too."

"What do you mean?"

"We were originally only going to send Matthew. Let him come on his own. When we discussed it with him, he said that he wanted you to have the opportunity as well. Our family had just gotten back together again, and he didn't want us to separate again."

"But… what about what _I_ wanted?"

"You didn't object when we discussed it with you. You were angry when Matthew got the invitation, but happy when you found out that we would _all_ be coming."

Alfred bit his lip. He couldn't deny that it was true.

"Do you realise how much it hurts me to see my sons fighting?" Megan asked. "I just want there to be peace between you again."

Alfred winced. He hated seeing his mother like this. After a few moments of silence she sighed, shaking her head.

"I'm going to the store," she said. "I don't want to see you breaking any of the rules. You're still grounded, remember?"

"Hard to forget it," Alfred griped.

She shook her head again, before closing the door. Alfred heard her footsteps disappear and he sighed.

Matthew… had _wanted_ him to come?

He had been clouded by jealousy. After all, Matthew was _asked_ to come to one of the best schools in the world. Alfred didn't even earn a second glance. It was clear among the teachers as well. They all knew that _Matthew_ was the one that the school wanted, while Alfred was only there because he was Matthew's brother.

But… Matthew _wanted_ him there?

Alfred's stomach dropped. He had gone out of his way to ensure that Matthew's school life was as horrible as possible. He didn't want to accept the fact that Matthew was better than him. He also made sure that Matthew had as few friends as possible. If he had his way, Matthew wouldn't have _any_ friends.

He had hoped to chase Matthew's friends away by torturing them, but instead it had brought them together. Alfred resented the fact that they were so close. Far closer than Alfred's friends, at least.

He was also upset by the fact that Arthur had ended their friendship because of Matthew.

No, because of _Alfred_.

He thought back on the last few months. About the amount of times he heard Matthew crying in his room, and how he would feel smug when he heard that. Or how Matthew seemed to shrink in on himself. He wasn't as talkative as he used to be.

But when he thought back to his conversation with Matthew earlier, he felt his stomach twist.

Matthew had asked him what he would do if Matthew ended up dying. And Alfred had basically told him that it wouldn't matter. Alfred had told his _brother_ that it wouldn't matter if he _died_. And suddenly he found himself breaking out in a cold sweat.

He remembered when he pushed Matthew down the stairs. What had set him off was when Matthew told him that he was a villain, instead of the hero that he wanted to be when he was little. And when he thought about the fact that he had told his brother that he didn't care if he died, he realised that Matthew was right. Alfred _was_ the villain.

Alfred realised that he _should_ apologise. He had taken it too far. And he didn't want to think of himself as the villain anymore.

Alfred was lying on his bed, but started to stand without thinking about it. He absent-mindedly made his way out of his room. He only snapped out of his daze when he realised he was in his parents' room.

And he realised in horror that he had no control of his actions.

He couldn't stop his body from moving, and when he tried to speak, no sound would come out. He was forced to watch as he went to their closet, and the safe kept inside. He didn't know how, but the safe had already been opened. His hand reached out and grabbed the gun that his father kept for safety purposes.

Alfred returned to his bedroom with the gun in hand, feeling terrified. He had no idea what was happening, or why he couldn't stop himself.

He sat on his bed, facing the mirror. And his eyes widened when his reflection changed into Matthew with red eyes.

" _Do you see what you've created?"_ 'Matthew' asked. _"You made me a monster. I hope you realise that everything that's happening now… It all starts with_ you _. This is 'goodbye', Alfred. Remember, you brought this on yourself."_

Alfred felt the fear grow when his hand moved on its own, and he opened his mouth, only for the muzzle of the gun to enter his mouth. He tried to scream. He tried to tell 'Matthew' that he was sorry, but the image in the mirror calmly watched.

He felt his finger move and heard a _click_ , and realised that the gun had been taken off safety. His finger then rested on the trigger, and he closed his eyes, unable to stop himself.

…

"And everything's still fine there?"

Vlad smiled. As promised, he had called his mother, and in spite of the time difference, she was quite eager to talk.

"Da," Vlad said. "I have wonderful friends, and even found fellow magic users."

"That's wonderful," his mother said. "And how is the school?"

"It's great," Vlad said. "The building is _huge_ , and you wouldn't believe how many clubs there are."

"And how are the other students?"

Vlad hesitated slightly, before he forced a smile on his face, even though his mother couldn't see it.

"They're great," Vlad said. "Really friendly."

"I'm glad to hear. And are the neighbourhoods safe?"

"As safe as can be."

"Bine. Oh, Alexandru wants to talk to you too."

Vlad waited as the phone was presumably passed on to his younger brother.

"Frate mare, how are you?!" Alexandru asked excitedly.

"Hey there," Vlad said, smiling as he heard his brother's voice. "I'm great. And what's going on with you?"

"It's boring without you here. Do you think we could visit sometime?"

"I would like that."

" _But do you think that's a good idea?"_

Vlad ignored Blood, choosing to focus on his little brother.

"Yay! What do you think Mama?" Alexandru said.

Vlad waited a while, hearing his mother's voice in the background.

"Mama said that we might be able to come for Christmas," Alexandru said.

"Da, I think that would be good," Vlad said.

They chatted for a while longer before finally hanging up. Vlad sighed, sinking on his bed.

" _You know that you would probably disappoint them, right?"_ Blood asked.

"Shut up," Vlad muttered. "All I'd have to do is ignore you for a few months. I can do it."

" _Yeah right."_

…

Megan sighed when she returned home, carrying a few bags of groceries. She hated punishing her sons, especially Alfred. When she and her husband had originally divorced, he had gone to live with his father. Megan rarely saw him.

When they remarried, the main reason was to keep their sons together, and not to torment themselves by living apart from one son. They weren't exactly loving towards each other, but they were amicable. That was already an improvement.

After depositing the groceries in the kitchen she went upstairs, intending to check on Alfred. His door was ajar, and she knocked before poking her head in.

And she screamed in horror and anguish.

…

"So, we going to do it?" Mathias asked.

He was walking down the street with Ivan and Natalia. They had decided to go to Feliks's house. Alfred had managed to warn them that Vlad wasn't completely alone, but apparently Feliks _would_ be.

"Of course," Ivan said. "Before our fun is ended permanently."

"Wait," Natalia said, holding her arm out and urging the other two to a stop. "Look."

They followed her gaze, and saw what she saw. They were just about on the corner of Feliks's house, but a block away they could see the presence of police cars.

"What do you think's going on there?" Mathias asked.

"Don't know," Natalia said. "But if we tried anything _now_ , we'd end up in a lot of trouble."

"Da, I agree," Ivan said. "Looks like we'll have to have our fun another day."

…

It was almost time for dinner, and Vlad went to the kitchen. Since Lovino wasn't there anymore and Matthew wasn't feeling well, he would probably have to provide dinner.

They hadn't touched the snacks that Francis had brought, so perhaps they could eat _that_? He hadn't really checked if they were dinner material. If they were savoury snacks, then perhaps it was possible. Sweet might be difficult for dinner.

Vlad glanced towards Matthew, and noticed that he was extremely pale. There was also a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his breathing was at least normal. He was tempted to check Matthew's temperature, but wasn't entirely sure if they had reached that level of friendship yet.

He would wait for Matthew to wake up to ask about how he was feeling. But for now, dinner should be the priority. Matthew might want to eat when he woke up, and Vlad was starting to feel peckish.

Vlad continued to the kitchen, and he checked in the basket. They looked like pastries, and he took one. He took a bite, and he was pleased to see that it was, indeed, savoury. He went to one of his cabinets to get a plate, and placed three of the pastries on it.

He returned to the living room and saw that Matthew was waking up.

"Hey," Vlad said. "Are you feeling better?"

Matthew nodded, smiling softly.

"Are you hungry?" Vlad asked.

"A little," Matthew said. "But… I need to go to the bathroom first."

"Alright."

Matthew quickly rushed off after grabbing his glasses. Vlad sighed, thinking that he should probably prepare a plate for Matthew when a ringing sound distracted him.

He looked to the table to see that Matthew's phone was still there. He wondered if it was right to answer, but it wouldn't hurt.

He saw the word 'Mother' on the screen, and knew that he _should_ answer.

"Matthew's phone, Vlad speaking," Vlad answered the phone.

"Vlad?" Matthew's mother asked. "Where's Matthew?"

"He's in the bathroom. Ma'am, is something wrong?"

"It's… It's Alfred."

"What happened?"

"He… He shot himself. In the head. We called the ambulance to see if he could still be saved, but… Matthew's brother is _dead_."

Vlad felt his stomach drop. Another one of their bullies had been killed. And he didn't know if it _was_ in fact suicide, or…

Was it possible for any of the others to set a trap, allowing the victim to die later and thus keep it hidden who was truly responsible for the death? The same way Elizaveta had been killed?

"I'm… I'm sorry to hear that," Vlad said. "I'll… I'll tell Matthew as soon as he's out of the bathroom. Would you want him to come home?"

"I… I would appreciate that. But… tell Matthew to call me as soon as he can."

"Alright. I'm… I'm sorry about what happened."

"Thank you."

…

As soon as Matthew entered the bathroom he locked the door. He didn't want Vlad to walk in, even if the other was too polite to simply walk in. The next thing he did was remove his glasses. He didn't need them anymore.

He looked into the mirror, seeing the red eyes staring back at him. If he wanted to, he could change them back to their original colour. But he only wanted to do that if he needed to continue passing himself off as a human.

He cocked his head to the side, before he snapped his fingers. He wanted to see what he looked like now.

A dark mist enshrouded his body, and when it disappeared he looked completely different.

His hair was longer, becoming a darker, more golden blond. It hung slightly past his shoulders, but it retained its original wavy texture. He wore what appeared to be a white coat with a fur collar. Black pants were tucked into fluffy white boots. On his cheek was a tattoo of a maple leaf with a thorny vine trailing down his jaw, down his neck and disappearing under the coat.

He was a demon that was once human. He was no longer Matthew. He also was not Death anymore. As stated, the two had merged into one.

The ritual was complete.

He could manipulate death, determining who would die, how and when. He could watch his intended victims as it was happening. He could control their actions that would lead to their deaths. He could also arrange events to ensure someone's death.

That was what he had done to Alfred.

Matthew had really had enough. And upon finding out exactly how little his brother cared for him, he knew that it was time to end it. All it brought was pain.

But Death was right. He was incapable of regret now.

He could hear the whispers around him, and knew that several shadow worlds were pleased. They had chosen him as a potential demon, and now their wishes were fulfilled.

One down, three to go.

He found that he didn't mind much. It would be lonely without his friends. So perhaps he should help them complete their own transformations?

He rather liked that idea. He wouldn't be alone, and he would have his friends with him. Most of his compassion had already disappeared, but he was still attached to his friends.

Another thought crossed his mind. No one would take a demon named Matthew seriously. He needed to think of a new name.

He snapped his fingers, returning to his human form. He placed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, before turning his attention to the toilet. He had told Vlad that he needed to use the bathroom…

As he left the bathroom, a name popped into his mind, and he smiled at the thought.

He returned to the living room, where he found Vlad looking distressed. He adopted a worried look that wouldn't look strange for Matthew.

"What's wrong?" Matthew asked.

"Your mom called," Vlad said. "She said to call her back. She'll be picking you up."

"Why? W-what happened?"

"Alfred committed suicide."

Matthew widened his eyes, looking shocked and horrified. Of course, he already knew that it had happened. He had pulled the strings, after all.

"W-what?" he whispered. "But… But _how_?"

Vlad shook his head, handing Matthew's cell phone to him. Matthew quickly dialled his mother.

"Mattie," Megan said. "D-did Vlad tell you…?"

"He said that Alfred committed suicide," Matthew said. "But how? And why? Did he leave a note or something?"

"No… no note. He shot himself. He took your father's gun out of the safe and shot himself."

Matthew sank onto the couch, pretending as though he was absorbing the "shocking" news. He could feel Vlad watching him, trying to determine if he was the one responsible for the death. But Matthew knew how to pretend to be normal.

"I can't… I can' believe that he would do that…" Matthew said.

"Matthew, are you alright if I come pick you up?" Megan asked.

"Yes… Yes, of course."

"I'll be there in five minutes."

"See you soon."

Matthew hung up the phone, and he turned to Vlad with teary eyes. Vlad came closer, looking concerned.

"I-I know he was a j-jerk and everything," Matthew said. "But… He was still my brother. Do… do you think he… he was hurting and… and then…"

Vlad shook his head.

"Nu, I don't think so," he said. "I don't think that was the reason why he did that to us."

Matthew sobbed before he threw his arms around Vlad, who hugged him back. And while he was externally the picture of grieving brother, internally he was a triumphant demon.

He could tell that Vlad had lost his suspicions. He would just need to be careful not to cause suspicion again. He was also pleased that he could destroy that poison that had threatened his life.

But he knew that he wouldn't want to go on alone. Even if he was a demon now, he still wanted to be surrounded by his friends. And they couldn't find out. Not yet. He wondered how long it would take for the three remaining bullies to push them beyond the edge, and whether or not it was necessary for him to arrange things so that his friends could become full demons as well.

He thought back to the name that had popped into his head earlier, and he played with the idea a bit more.

Morthew.

 **I was thinking that they would want names to reflect their new demonic personas, since their human names would probably remind them about how weak they used to be. Morthew is a combination of "mort", which means "dead" in French, and "Matthew".**

 **Alfred finally realises how big of a bastard he is and was thinking of apologising and making peace, but it was a little too late.**

 **Biggest news in South Africa at the moment is the storm in the Western Cape. When the Portuguese originally landed there, they called it the Cape of Storms. Wonder why… It's not a hurricane or anything, but a rainstorm. A** _ **huge**_ **rainstorm, combined with the dreaded winds of the Western Cape. The waves have reached swells of over 12 metres. And in Hout Bay, the surfers are excited… If you want to get an idea, go to YouTube. Specifically, check for Eyewitness News and SABC Digital News.**

 **And as though nature in South Africa isn't angry enough, there's also the Knysna fires, which started because of lightning and spread thanks to storm winds. Now, it's common to hear of squatter camps being burned down. Last night we saw Rheenendal affected. As my dad puts it, he doesn't think that there's a house under R3 million there. All of it,** _ **destroyed**_ **.**

 **Never before had I been so happy to live in the Highveld, far away from any ocean.**


	27. Chapter 26

**Thanks to Allans, Olivia Kirkland, Kattie, Zaaze, ScandinavianTrash, ToolboxHDR and Shattering Colors for reviewing.**

 **Also, the narrative would still refer to him as Matthew, since I don't want Word to keep reminding me that Morthew isn't an actual word. And it's more that he refers to himself as that.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 26**

Vlad sighed, looking over towards Matthew's empty seat. The Canadian had yet to arrive.

It was possible that Matthew wouldn't be coming. Not after his brother had committed suicide. It was possible that his parents wanted a grieving period, and they wanted to offer it to Matthew as well.

Seeing that Matthew was distraught after the news reached him of Alfred's suicide, it was possible that Matthew would take advantage of the grieving period. He wouldn't want to see anyone else. He also wouldn't want to get any grief from their tormentors.

They had a talent for blaming them for everything, and even though most of the time there was validity in their statements, they did so without proof. They did it because they believed the worst of them. Because they _hated_ them.

It would be best for Matthew to stay out of this atmosphere. To stay away from their tormentors.

So far, it didn't seem as though anyone else knew, but news would soon spread, like a stomach virus. Everyone would learn about it soon enough.

Vlad still couldn't help but think that the circumstances behind Alfred's death were suspicious. Why would someone as arrogant as Alfred kill himself? And the timing…

Matthew mentioned the previous day that he had a run-in with Alfred. And that Alfred had said something quite hurtful to Matthew. Feliks had showed that he was angry as well. And Vlad remembered how he noticed Alfred's aura was different.

Feliks had already described the way those three strangers had been killed. That Insanity had caused them to kill themselves. Could Feliks be the one responsible for Alfred's death?

He would need to investigate Feliks. But if Feliks was the one responsible, then he would need to be _very_ careful. If Feliks had killed, then that would mean that the transformation was complete. That he had become a demon.

Again, Vlad would need to make sure. If he was wrong about Feliks, then things could prove awkward at best between them. He didn't want to cause a rift between them.

A hand was placed on Vlad's shoulder, and he jumped in surprise, spinning around. He sighed in relief when he saw Lukas.

"You seem tense," Lukas said. "Did something happen?"

"I don't know," Vlad said, lowering his head.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't heard about anything yet, have you?"

"What is it?"

Vlad hesitated, looking around the class.

"Not here," Vlad said. "It's a little too risky. But I'm sure you'll hear it soon enough. But… I think we should talk. During lunchtime… In the clubroom."

Lukas narrowed his eyes, but nodded his head in understanding.

"I'll tell Arthur when I see him," Lukas said. "Unless you want to tell him yourself?"

"I guess that whoever sees him first should tell him," Vlad said. "It would be useless in assuming that he would be told, and then he never gets the message. When we see him, we'll just say to meet us in the clubroom."

Lukas nodded.

"Alright then," he said. "I guess I'll have to wait for a while. I hope that it isn't something too bad."

"It might not be," Vlad said. "I'm not entirely sure of it."

"But if you suspect something, it's important to learn the truth. And I want to hear all of what you suspect and what you know."

Vlad nodded his head, though he couldn't help but feel worried.

…

Feliks and Lovino were discussing things quietly, occasionally glancing towards Alfred's seat.

So far, it seemed as though they were the only ones that knew of Alfred's fate. Vlad had called them the previous night and told them about what had happened.

"I tried to get in touch with the Maple Jerk," Lovino said. "But he wouldn't answer his phone."

"Like, the same here," Feliks said. "I couldn't get in touch with him. How do you think he's coping?"

"I don't know. But… Look, I know that the Hamburger Bastard was a… well, a _bastard_. But he and Maple Jerk were brothers. Even if they hated each other, having him killed would have… Look, my brothers might annoy the hell out of me. But if something happened to them…"

"But, like, it's totally weird. I mean… Why would _he_ do that to himself? I mean… He's too into himself to ever do that."

"But he _did_. And we have no idea how Matteo's handling it. I mean… Vampire Jerk said that he looked out of it."

"What are you talking about?"

The two jumped at the sudden voice, and they turned to see Arthur. He looked at them with worried green eyes.

"I guess you'll hear soon enough," Lovino sighed.

Arthur looked confused, but he couldn't ask any more. Their homeroom teacher arrived, looking stressed.

"Settle down," Ms Blanc said. "I have some important news to discuss with you."

The class settled down, looking at their teacher worriedly.

"Yesterday afternoon, Alfred Jones committed suicide," Ms Blanc said.

The class immediately erupted into murmurs and whispers. Feliks and Lovino looked back at Arthur, whose eyes widened. And Arthur was looking at the two of them.

"You knew about this?" Arthur whispered.

The two nodded.

"Like, Vlad told us," Feliks said. "Mattie was at his house when his mother called."

"And… how's Matthew?" Arthur asked.

"We don't know," Lovino said. "He refuses to answer our calls."

Arthur buried his face in his hands.

"Why… why would he do something like that?" Arthur asked.

"Apparently, he like didn't leave a note," Feliks said. "So, like, I guess no one would know the truth."

Arthur sighed, burying his head in his arms, which rested on the desk. Lovino and Feliks remained silent. They knew that Arthur had been friends with Alfred, and even though he had ended their friendship because of Alfred's actions, -one simply couldn't ignore something like that. It was also possible that Arthur could see himself as one of the causes of Alfred's suicide. Abandoning their friendship…

Arthur ended his friendship with Alfred because of the latter's attitude towards his brother. Arthur couldn't stand it anymore, but that didn't mean that he felt nothing more for Alfred. They had been friends for a while, after all. Hearing that he had committed suicide, it must have been extremely painful.

Even though they had nothing to do with it, Lovino and Feliks felt incredibly guilty.

…

Matthew was lying on his bed. His parents had given him space in order to grieve his brother's death. He just wanted to be alone, but not to grieve.

He was a little disappointed that he had been denied from going to school, but he acted meek and sorrowful. He acted as though he appreciated the time on his own.

He was actually disappointed that he wouldn't be able to help his friends become demons as well. He had been afraid that he would lose his affection for his friends if he merged with Death and lost his humanity, but that didn't change. He still wanted his friends around him. He wanted their company. He wanted to stand by them. And he wanted them to be like him.

He also didn't want to hurt them.

He knew that, for them to turn into demons, they would have to kill someone. And they weren't sociopaths. They didn't _want_ to kill anyone. Matthew himself, deciding to kill his brother… It was a difficult decision. Death had to make sure that he was completely sure about it. If he acted solely out of anger… Matthew could have stopped things while still in the process. And things could have been worse for him.

It was the reason why Death had asked Matthew if he was sure. The unconscious and the conscious needed to be in perfect agreement.

It would be the same with the other three. They would have to make the conscious decision. They would have to be pushed beyond the point of despair. They would have to lose all hope of things being resolved peacefully.

For Matthew, it had happened when he was told by his brother that it wouldn't matter if he died. To hear that his brother, his _twin_ , didn't care whether he lived or died. That his life was worthless to someone that was supposed to care for him, and who _he_ had cared for. It had been a hard decision, but the thought of being _hated_ like that…

Matthew couldn't live like that. He couldn't stand the thought. He also couldn't stand the thought that things would never improve. That Alfred would continue to make the lives of Matthew and his friends miserable.

He also wanted to make his friends' lives easier. He wanted to be able to protect them from their tormentors. And now he had the power.

And with that power came an immense loneliness. He knew that his friends would be afraid of him when they found out that he had completed the transformation. They knew enough about demons to fear them.

It was a natural reaction, of course. But Matthew would still want to avoid it. If they were afraid of him, they would be suspicious of him. And they would try to avoid him. And he wouldn't be able to get them to join him.

They would assume that Matthew had died when he became a demon. It was merely his morality that faded away. He still cared for them. He just didn't care about the other people. He still cared about his parents, but somehow he cared for them less than his friends. Probably because his friends were more like him than anyone else. Because they had the potential to become demons, whereas most others didn't.

Vlad, Feliks and Lovino were of the same nature, or _almost_ the same nature as Matthew. And Matthew felt protective and possessive of them. He wanted them to become like him, but he also didn't want to hurt them.

He wasn't too bothered by the fact that they might ostracise him. That they would be afraid of him. He accepted it as a fact. And he was already thinking of different scenarios. Different ideas on how to handle different situations.

He would have to wait and see. And he would need to make sure that they didn't catch on to his true nature. If they _did_ , then there was a chance that he wouldn't be able to achieve his goals.

Getting his friends to join him. Ending the loneliness before it could completely crush him. And ensuring that no one would hurt him and his friends again.

…

It was lunchtime, and Vlad made his way to the clubroom. He hadn't seen Arthur, and could only hope that Lukas had managed to find him and tell him to meet him there. He knew that they would probably need to know, after everything they've done to try and help.

He took a deep breath before opening the door. He was relieved to see Arthur already there, and Lukas was there as well.

"Looks like Lukas managed to get the message to you," Vlad said, addressing Arthur with a smile.

Arthur nodded, though he looked upset. Vlad realised that he was affected by Alfred's death, and felt worried and a little guilty.

"Alright then," Lukas said. "Could you please explain what's going on?"

Vlad nodded, before he closed the door. He didn't want anyone else to eavesdrop on them.

"Right," Vlad said. "I guess we haven't really spoken since… Since you told me about what's happening to us."

Arthur nodded. Vlad could see that the two of them were nervous, and he felt hurt that they were nervous around him.

"After the call ended and before I could tell the others about what was happening, the demons brought us all together in a shared mindscape," Vlad said. "They explained to us what's happening to us. They added more detail."

"Yes?" Lukas prompted.

"They told us the conditions of the ritual. Why _we_ were chosen, and how. Apparently, multiple shadow worlds saw our anger and thought we have 'potential'."

"Potential as demons," Arthur said. "And did they say how the ritual would be completed?"

Vlad hesitated, before averting his eyes.

"Da," Vlad said. "They told us."

"I take it that it's something horrible," Lukas said.

"It is. We have to kill someone of our own volition."

"What?" Arthur asked, horrified. "You have to…?"

"And… if you _kill_ someone…" Lukas said.

"We become demons," Vlad said. "But… None of us _want_ it. At least, _I_ don't. But…"

"You think it somehow relates to what happened to Alfred?" Lukas asked.

"I don't know. Yesterday, after school, Matthew was very upset. He looked torn. Alfred told him that… that it didn't matter to him if Matthew died."

"What?" Arthur asked aghast. "How… how could he _say_ something like that?"

Vlad shook his head.

"I take it that it upset you all greatly," Lukas said. "But do you think it was enough to want Alfred dead?"

Vlad sighed.

"I felt disgusted with him," Vlad said. "But it wasn't enough to want to kill him. And Lovino had already left with his family. It's not something that we would pass on, of course. Not over the phone. Feliks was upset and was the one actively comforting Matthew. And Matthew… He was really upset, and it probably didn't help when he got a headache. Or… perhaps he used the headache as an excuse to just be alone for a while."

"Is there something to worry about?" Lukas asked. "If you weren't upset enough, then why do you think that there's a connection?"

"I… I guess I'm just worried," Vlad said. "Feliks had already proven that he was capable of forcing people to kill themselves. If he… If he was more upset than I thought he was… To be fair, I was focusing on Alfred, and I noticed that there was something wrong with his aura."

"Could you tell what it was?" Arthur asked.

Vlad shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but no," Vlad said. "I could just tell that something was off."

Arthur nodded, looking disappointed.

"What else did they tell you about what's happening to you?" Lukas asked. "Is there a way to reverse it?"

Vlad shook his head.

"No, it can't be undone," Vlad said. "The only hope we have is that we can hold out long enough."

"And do you think you _can_?" Arthur asked. "Do you think you have the will strong enough? After all, according to the book, it was meant to be your deepest desires being manifested. It wasn't a matter of being forced. It was a matter of you secretly _wanting_ to do it."

Vlad flinched, hearing the underlying accusation.

"I won't if you don't have faith in me," Vlad said. "I-I mean… One of the things that kept me going is that I have wonderful friends. Friends that support me. I thought of the two of you among those friends."

It was Lukas and Arthur's turn to flinch at Vlad's words.

"You're right," Lukas said. "We're sorry. It's just… It's hard to see you as Vlad at the moment."

"Why?" Vlad asked. "Because I'm turning into a demon? Because of what _they've_ done to me?"

"We're prejudiced," Arthur said. "And we're sorry. We've read up on so many demons the past few days, and we know what they can do."

"It was one thing to think that you're possessed," Lukas said. "But to think that you're turning _into_ one…"

"I'm not a murderer," Vlad said, feeling very vulnerable. "I don't entertain the thought of killing anyone. Not even the bullies. And… There's only three left, and they can't do much to us anymore. So I… I don't _have_ to. They can't continue to get away with it anymore. People are actually _doing_ something to stop them. So I… I can go on… I don't have to…"

Arthur stood from his seat and approached Vlad. To their surprise, he threw his arms around Vlad, and the Romanian sagged against him, the tears falling. Lukas came closer as well, and he joined the hug.

"You're right," Lukas said. "We're sorry. We forgot that Vlad is the one in charge. You said that the transformation will be completed after you consciously killed someone?"

Vlad nodded his head.

"You have to do it willingly," Arthur said. "And you're anything but willing, aren't you?"

Vlad shook his head.

"I don't want to kill anyone," he said. "I don't…"

"And do your friends share this sentiment?" Arthur asked.

"I… I'm not sure anymore. I-I mean… Insanity, Death and Decay revealed that they've at least thought of it. Matthew wanted them to die. Feliks asked Insanity to help him end it all. And Lovino asked his uncle for guns."

"Was all of this out of anger?" Lukas asked.

Vlad nodded.

"And have you thought of something like that while angry?" Arthur asked.

"I just wanted it to stop," Vlad said. "Nothing about killing them, or that they should die."

"Then as long as you don't lose yourself to anger, you should be fine," Lukas said. "And we'll need to make sure that the others are in agreement as well."

"You wouldn't want to make a decision out of anger and end up regretting it," Arthur said.

"If I _can_ regret," Vlad said.

…

Matthew frowned. Something was wrong.

He was still telepathically connected to Insanity, Blood and Decay, so he could still monitor his friends' emotions or learn of any other problems that might arise.

And apparently, Vlad had found a resolution. He had managed to get Arthur and Lukas to support him. And they helped him get the strength to resist the allure of killing their enemies.

It wasn't supposed to be like that!

He would need to deal with Arthur and Lukas, and he had a feeling he knew the way. After all, it wasn't the first time that they thought they'd made a new friend, only for someone else (usually the bullies) to take them away, or that they didn't want to make things difficult for themselves.

Feliks and Lovino would be very angry with Vlad, and Matthew could use that to his advantage.

 **I feel as though I failed this chapter.**

 **There's a reference to the dub, where England tells America that he's worried he'd end up killing himself (due to his eating habits), and America responding that he's too into himself to ever do something like that.**


	28. Chapter 27

**Thanks to Noobz, Zaaze, Kattie, Shattering Colors, ScandinavianTrash, Allans and RinKagamine002 for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 27**

"Like, did you see Vlad today?" Feliks asked.

"He said he needs to meet up with Eyebrow and Hairpin Jerk," Lovino said.

The two of them were at their usual lunch table, though two of their members were missing. Feliks pouted.

"Like, what's so important that he had to ditch us?" Feliks asked.

"Pink Jerk, you haven't forgotten about what's happening to us, have you?" Lovino asked tiredly.

"Like, what's wrong with you?"

"I didn't get a lot of sleep."

"Like, what happened?"

"It's nothing much," Lovino said. "I just… I got a few nightmares."

"About what?"

Lovino shot him an annoyed look, and Feliks knew to keep his mouth shut. Instead, he looked around the cafeteria, gaze stopping on the three sitting at an isolated table, glaring at them. He shuddered, before turning to Lovino.

"Like, they look pissed," Feliks said.

"Don't look at them," Lovino said. "We're trying to _avoid_ trouble with them."

"Like, I know. But… Well, something totally tells me that they would like attack us, even if we totally left them alone."

"We just need to make sure that they don't _want_ to attack us," Lovino said. "And that we're not alone."

…

"So, how are you going to find out whether or not Feliks was responsible?" Lukas asked. "I mean, it's not like you could just _ask_ him."

"Not to mention the fact that, if he _has_ become a demon, you'd be in a lot of trouble," Arthur said.

"I don't really know," Vlad sighed.

Lukas and Arthur exchanged a look before Arthur dug in his pocket.

"Fortunately, we decided to work on something once we found out what's happening," Arthur said, removing a quartz.

Vlad frowned, accepting the crystal when Arthur handed it to him.

"We enchanted it," Lukas explained. "Keep it in your pocket. If a demon is nearby, it will start to feel hot."

"It doesn't react to a partial influence," Arthur said. "Like a possession or… your case. It only works for a demon in disguise. When you came in I wanted to make sure."

Vlad smiled.

"This probably took a lot of effort," Vlad said. "You guys must be tired."

"A little," Arthur said. "That's the only one we've made so far. Unfortunately, it's not a spell that works in bulk. We also haven't been able to test it out yet."

"So, there's a chance this might not work?" Vlad asked, disappointed.

"…Possibly," Arthur said. "But it's better than nothing, wouldn't you say?"

Vlad sighed, before reluctantly nodding his head.

"I suppose you're right," Vlad said. "But, if this is the only one, wouldn't you want it back?"

"You can hold onto it for a while," Arthur said. "At least until you know for sure whether Feliks – or perhaps Lovino – has completed the process and become a demon."

"We also can't forget about Matthew," Lukas said.

"But do you think he would kill his own brother?" Arthur asked.

"I'm not so sure of it," Vlad said. "I mean, he was absolutely _devastated_ when he found out."

"But demons are masters of deception," Lukas pointed out.

"Do you think a new one would be able to do that?"

Lukas shrugged.

"What I'm suggesting is that you don't dismiss the possibility," Lukas said. "After all, it's usually the one you least suspect that's the killer."

"When it's not the butler," Arthur said with a smirk.

…

"Hey Fran!"

Francis turned around, trying hard not to look annoyed when he saw the Dane approaching him. He also tried not to wince when Mathias threw his arm around his shoulders.

"Where have you been lately?" Mathias asked. "It's like you were avoiding us."

"Well, you're not wrong," Francis said, pulling away from Mathias.

"What's wrong?" Mathias asked, smile dropping.

Francis stared at him for a moment before he sighed.

"I'm _done_ with it all," Francis said. "We took it too far."

"Are you talking about _them_?" Mathias demanded.

"Oui. In case you haven't noticed, we're in a lot of trouble. I at least want to avoid any more trouble."

"Oh, and your solution is to stay away from us? Do you think people will forget that you were a part of us? That you did the same things _we_ did?"

"I am hoping to show that I am guilty, and am trying to atone for my part in our actions."

Mathias chuckled bitterly.

"No, you're just trying to ease your guilt," Mathias said. "You're hoping that you would stop feeling guilty. You're hoping that they would forgive you, and that everyone forgets your actions. And then you wouldn't be in as much trouble as Ivan, Nat and I am. You're selfish, Franny. And you're a coward."

Francis narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenched shut. Though his words did strike a chord in him.

"You can think what you like," Francis said. "But I'm not involved with you three anymore. You may call me a coward if you wish. But I won't do anything to hurt those four any longer."

Francis spun around and marched away, feeling his rage boil before going down. He spotted Yao, who was smirking at him.

"What?" Francis asked as Yao fell into step with him.

"You've grown," Yao said. "Perhaps there's hope for you after all."

Francis rolled his eyes, though he didn't say anything. He was aware that he would need help to turn over a new leaf, and Yao had already offered his assistance.

…

Feliks smiled when he saw Vlad between classes, and ran up to him.

"Like, hey!" Feliks said. "Like, we totally didn't see you at lunch."

"I had to discuss something with Arthur and Lukas," Vlad said, smiling.

"Like, is it about… you know?" Feliks asked, smile falling and face morphing into a concerned expression.

"…Da," Vlad said. "What happened to Matthew's brother… It was strange."

"Like, do you think that one of _us_ did it?"

Vlad sighed.

"Feliks, you can't deny that there's a possibility," Vlad said.

Feliks flinched slightly, noticing how Vlad kept a slight distance.

"And, like, do you think _I_ did it?" Feliks asked.

Vlad sighed, shaking his head.

"Not anymore," Vlad said.

"Like, what do you mean?" Feliks asked, confused.

"Let's just say I have my ways."

Feliks frowned, before taking a step closer to Vlad, startling the Romanian slightly.

"Like, what are you hiding?" Feliks asked.

Vlad looked around, seeing the students surrounding them. It didn't _look_ as though someone was listening, but it might change soon.

"Not here," Vlad said. "And besides, we need to get to class."

Feliks pouted, but he nodded his head, conceding defeat. He and Vlad parted ways, but the Pole couldn't help but wonder about what happened.

…

Vlad sighed in class, spinning the stone in his fingers around. It hadn't started to burn him when Feliks had been around. Feliks wasn't a demon.

Of course, he completely ignored the fact that the possibility existed that the stone simply didn't work. He had hated suspecting his friend, and wished to believe that there was no reason to do so anymore.

But there was still Lovino. And, though he didn't think that it was a strong possibility, Matthew as well.

Lovino was more likely. Matthew had already expressed concern over the fact that the thought of killing didn't seem to bother Lovino as much. Then again, the way he reacted to Antonio's death… And also when he disposed of Gilbert's body. He was _horrified_. So was Matthew, and he was the one responsible for killing Gilbert.

But that was when their dark halves still controlled their actions. They weren't the ones that _decided_ to kill them. Matthew had killed Gilbert because he was threatening to kill them. And Lovino killed Antonio because his life was in danger that time as well.

Vlad wanted to convince himself that he wouldn't kill anyone if his life depended on it. He wouldn't risk endangering so many innocent people once it was all over. But he couldn't fool himself. His survival instincts would force him to make a drastic choice if it meant saving himself. It would be a selfish decision, but it was human nature to be selfish.

And thinking about what Matthew did… If he saw that one of his friends was in danger of being killed, he couldn't simply walk away. Not if he had a chance to _do_ something about it. But… would he have to resort to such a desperate measure? Especially if he knew there was another way?

He wanted to believe that he would do anything to protect his friends. But… Would he be loyal enough? And what would the consequences be of his actions?

…

It was the end of the school day and Feliks was on his way to the doors when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, almost expecting the hand to belong to Natalia or Mathias (it was _way_ too small to belong to Ivan), but instead he was faced with a familiar Lithuanian boy.

"Sorry," Toris said. "Didn't mean to startle you."

"Like, who said you did?" Feliks asked coldly.

Toris flinched at the tone, but kept a smile on his face. There was a time when Toris was new at the school, and he was well on his way to becoming a friend for Feliks. This was while Feliks was still new as well. However, Ivan had turned his attention to Toris, intimidating him and forcing him to become his 'friend'. And to tell Feliks that there was no room in his life for him. They would _never_ be friends.

The final nail in the coffin was when Toris had called Feliks a _freak_. Feliks already had to deal with a large portion of the school already calling him that. To hear someone he thought could be his _friend_ calling him that…

And it wasn't a private discussion. It was a public spectacle. Most of the school had seen it. Had agreed with Toris. Had laughed at Feliks…

The Pole had run to the nearest bathroom, not caring about the tears that flowed like twin rivers down his face. That was when Matthew and Lovino had gone to comfort him. Feliks had tried to chase them away, but they were stubborn, and eventually Feliks collapsed against Matthew's chest as the taller male locked him in an embrace and allowed him to cry his heart out.

"A-anyway, how are you?" Toris asked.

"I'm _fine_ ," Feliks said. "But, like, what does it even matter to _you_?"

"Feliks, I'm sorry about what happened."

"Really? After five months, you decide to apologise _now_? Like, what changed? You decided that being Ivan's lapdog is totally not worth it anymore?"

Toris flinched again. Feliks had every right to be angry, and Toris wasn't going to deny it.

"You're not sorry," Feliks said. "You just feel totally guilty, and you think you can make things like go away."

"Feliks…" Toris said.

"Nie!" Feliks snapped. "You had your chance. And you were a total coward. Like, you're only apologising because you know that Ivan is totally in trouble, and you don't want to be dragged down with him."

"Feliks…"

"Don't even bother. Like, you know what's worse than people like Ivan? People like _you_ , who hurt people in fear of being hurt yourselves, and who allow things like that to totally keep happening. Like, leave me alone."

Feliks stormed away, feeling angry tears threatening to overflow. The pain Toris had caused… He had a lot of time to apologise, but never did. Now that he knew that Ivan would face punishment because of his actions, Toris decided that he wanted to break his association with Ivan. Feliks wasn't fooled.

Feliks was completely honest with Toris. The only thing worse than bullies was people allowing it to happen, or going along with it in fear of getting involved and causing problems for themselves.

Feliks was filled with intense hatred. He wished people like that didn't exist. And his primary focus was currently Toris.

And in his anger, he didn't realise that he had released a surge of power, or that the current was making its way towards Toris.

…

Matthew smirked. He could feel it. Feliks was doing something.

Though it wasn't exactly a _conscious_ thing, it was close. It wasn't Insanity doing anything, but _Feliks_.

There was a possibility that, should this be successful, the transformation wouldn't be complete, since it wasn't based on a conscious decision, and it wasn't completely willing. But it would tear down Feliks's resolve. It would cause his moral values to lower slightly. And the next time, he wouldn't hesitate to kill.

It was one step closer for Feliks to become like him, and he didn't even need to do anything to influence it. Though he had to wonder who had caused Feliks to feel that angry.

…

Toris jumped when he felt a large hand on his head. The gesture, as well as the hand, could only belong to one person. Gulping loudly, he turned to see Ivan, smiling at him, though it wasn't a pleasant smile.

"Toris," Ivan said. "Tell me, what were you discussing with little Feliks?"

"N-nothing," Toris stuttered. "I-I was j-just… J-just asking h-how h-he's d-doing."

Natalia poked her head out from behind her brother, and Toris felt his stomach drop.

"Why would you want to know how _he's_ doing?" Natalia asked disdainfully.

"You weren't thinking of running off to _him_ , were you?" Ivan asked sweetly. "Not after all those things you've said to him."

"I-I was j-just…" Toris stuttered.

"You were being a coward again," Natalia said cruelly. "You're afraid the school or the police would punish you for your association with us."

"I…"

"That makes me sad," Ivan said, smile falling. "It hurts to see my friend has no loyalty."

"Typical," Natalia said. "You turn your back on someone at the first sign of danger."

"Do you think Feliks would accept you back?" Ivan asked. "After all, you hurt him. All because you were a pitiful coward."

"Who would want a friend like that?" Natalia sneered.

"I… It's n-not like that," Toris stammered. "I s-swear."

"Toris!"

Toris turned to see his two friends, Eduard and Raivis. Eduard, who had called out to him, looked at him in concern.

"Who are you talking to?" Eduard asked.

Toris's eyes widened, before he turned around. Natalia and Ivan were gone, and he could see several people staring at him.

"H-how long have I been…?" Toris questioned.

"I don't know," Eduard said. "I just saw Feliks storming off, and Raivis suggested we find out what happened."

"Are you feeling okay?" Raivis asked.

Toris didn't answer, staring at the space where he thought Ivan and Natalia had been. How did it…?

At least he knew that he _did_ speak to Feliks, if Eduard saw him storming off. But then another thought settled in his mind. What if Feliks had stormed off because of someone else? In which case, Toris might have imagined their conversation as well.

"Toris?" Eduard prompted, snapping Toris from his thoughts.

"Y-yeah," Toris said. "I think I'm just tired or something."

"You should get some sleep," Raivis suggested.

"Not a bad idea," Eduard said. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."

Toris nodded his head, still thinking about what had happened. He had imagined Ivan and Natalia. Though the conversation had felt so real… Toris could still feel Ivan's hand on his head.

And the words they said… They echoed in his mind, particularly the word 'coward'.

…

"The Lithuanian was speaking to himself," Arthur said.

The Magic Club were gathered in their clubroom again. Arthur had just arrived, informing the others of the bizarre occurrence that he had seen. Vlad cocked his head to the side.

"So?" Vlad asked. "It's nothing strange."

"It looked as though he was having a conversation with someone," Arthur clarified. "By the looks of his body language and stuttering, it would suggest Ivan. However, Ivan wasn't around at all."

"That _is_ strange," Lukas said, frowning slightly. "Do you think something happened?"

"What's the Lithuanian's name?" Vlad asked.

"Toris Laurinaitis," Lukas said.

Vlad shook his head.

"I haven't heard of him," Vlad said.

"He's one of the three Baltics," Arthur said. "They're called Ivan's lapdogs because they're small, always trembling and submissive around Ivan."

Vlad still looked confused, but eventually just shook his head.

"It's possible that the others mentioned them, but I honestly can't remember," Vlad said.

"I suppose it doesn't matter," Arthur said. "Still, it's strange. Perhaps we should keep an eye on Toris as well. But anyway, back to the matter at hand."

"Could you figure out if it was Feliks?" Lukas asked Vlad.

"Well, the stone didn't grow warm," Vlad said. "It also didn't do it around Lovino when I ran into him before final period."

"That just leaves Matthew," Arthur said.

"I _really_ doubt it's him," Vlad said. "I mean… I have a brother, and I can't even _imagine_ doing something that would hurt him."

"It's the same with Emil," Lukas said. "We may be half-brothers, but I wouldn't do something to hurt him."

"And as annoying as _my_ brothers can be, I can't see me doing something like that to them either," Arthur sighed. "Unfortunately, Alfred wasn't of the same mind. He deliberately hurt his brother on multiple occasions."

"But Matthew isn't Alfred," Vlad pointed out.

Arthur nodded.

"And even so, I doubt that even Alfred would take things so far," Arthur said.

"We still can't rule out the possibility," Lukas said.

"The possibility also exists that none of us were involved," Vlad said. "But that still means the suicide came out of nowhere."

"You're the one that thought it was connected," Lukas pointed out.

"I know," Vlad sighed. "I'm just worried."

"It's understandable," Arthur said. "Anyway, you lot should just stay strong. My father is doing his best to gather enough testimonies before presenting it to the school board. At the very least, they're facing the risk of expulsion. There's no reason for you to destroy _your_ lives by retaliating. You just need to endure for a while longer."

"I'm not sure if that's possible," Vlad said. "Lovino killed Antonio on Monday out of self-defence. Antonio was actively trying to kill him. If something like that happens again… I'm not sure if we can hold on."


	29. Chapter 28

**Thanks to Olivia Kirkland, Zaaze, Elizaveta Herdervary – Hungary, Kattie, Shattering Colors, ScandinavianTrash and Allans for reviewing.**

 **Sorry it's so late today. I was attending a winter's school at another university, and I didn't really have an opportunity to post this earlier.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 28**

Ian Kirkland sighed in frustration. Things were becoming more and more difficult.

Right after they had finished with the possible crime scene, they had received word that there was a suicide. Alfred Jones, the brother of Matthew Williams and one of the students confirmed to be a bully of the four.

Another death connecting with the four, this time a suicide.

It was too bizarre to be merely a coincidence. Something like this… The amount of students that were murdered, committed suicide, died of natural causes or simply missing… This wasn't supposed to be happening. There was something unnatural going on, and he didn't like it.

His wife and sons didn't seem to know what was happening either, but he had a feeling that Arthur was hiding something. He had been doing a lot of research lately, and he wondered if the research had anything to do with the events that had been plaguing the town and the school.

Actually, it was pretty much just the school. Everyone that had died or disappeared was a student. And almost all of them were connected to the four students that were severely bullied. He couldn't help but think that there was indeed _something_ there.

Ian glanced over towards Wulfric, who looked as though he hadn't slept in a few days, in fact. Since one of the missing students was his son, it was completely understandable.

"The results are in," Wulfric said.

"Which ones?" Ian asked tiredly.

"The fingerprints on the gun."

When students were registered to the school, they were all required to give their fingerprints, blood samples, and a few other things that could only be traced back to them. Forensically, of course.

"And?" Ian asked.

"They all belong to Gilbert," Wulfric said. "But nothing else in the house has his fingerprints at all."

"Any others?"

"No. Nothing."

Ian sighed, making a mental note to confront Arthur later. And just as he decided that, someone entered the station. A teenage boy with brown hair.

"How can we help you?" Ian asked.

"I… I want to give my testimony," the boy said. "About… Feliks and the others."

Ian and Wulfric exchanged a quick glance.

"Alright," Ian said. "May I ask you your name?"

"Toris Laurinaitis."

…

"Like, do you think Vlad's avoiding us?" Feliks asked.

He and Lovino had waited for Vlad after school, but he didn't make an appearance. And in light of everything that had happened recently, when Lovino's grandfather offered for Feliks to go with them, the Pole had accepted the invitation. So they were currently lounging about in Lovino's room.

"Do you think he's made new friends?" Lovino asked.

"W-what?" Feliks asked, his eyes wide.

"I mean, it's happened before," Lovino clarified. "People hang out with us until they decide that there's someone far better to be around. I mean, with the Magic Club… It's only natural that Vampire Jerk would want to be around with them."

"But… he wouldn't betray us," Feliks said. "He… he couldn't. He… he's not like the others. He can't…"

Lovino watched him with an odd expression on his face. Feliks looked more frantic than usual.

"Why don't you go over to his house later and find out?" Lovino asked. "I mean, you don't live far from him."

Feliks nodded, and Lovino noticed that he looked a little pale. His eyes were also… darker. He didn't know what to make of it, but didn't want to worry Feliks. Though he would keep an eye on him.

…

"So, we're going after the freak, right?" Mathias asked.

"Da," Ivan said. "Though I don't know if Matvey had gone back after Alfred's death."

"Which means the vampire might also be alone," Natalia said.

"But let's go to the drag queen's house first," Mathias said. "It's been a while since we gave him our personal attention."

…

Ian sighed, not sure what he was feeling. Disgust was a very strong feeling, but he also felt pity for the Lithuanian sitting across from him.

It was clear that the bullies had used and manipulated other students as well. And in Toris's case, intimidated and threatened. The students that they used were often wracked with guilt, but the damage was done. They had created another scar on the others' souls.

It disgusted Ian that high school students could do that sort of thing to each other. That it brought them joy. And they didn't care about the fact that to someone else, it was absolute torture. They didn't care about the lives they ruined. Not if it entertained them.

But the moment the tables were turned, things got ugly. And that was, of course, what was presently happening.

There was also something else that concerned Ian.

During the interview, Toris would often shake his head, or start staring off into space, or his eyes would become unfocused. But that didn't stop the words that flowed out of his mouth. Sometimes, it looked as though he was in a trance. But at the same time, there was far too much clarity.

It was really strange.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Ian asked.

"Y-yes," Toris said. "Ivan and the others… they're really mad at Feliks and his friends. They're blaming them for _everything_ that's happening. And I… I'm scared that they would try to do something. Something drastic."

Ian nodded his head.

"I'll keep that in mind," Ian said. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Toris nodded his head and stood, before he hesitated.

"Please," Toris said. "Stop the bullying. If Feliks and his friends have to keep going through that… I'm worried about what might happen. They might… Feliks… I walked in on him in the bathroom once. He had a razor, and he looked jumpy."

"A razor?" Ian repeated.

Toris nodded.

"I'm worried that he might have been hurting himself," Toris said. "But… that was a few months ago. I tried to talk to him, but he didn't want anything to do with me."

Ian sighed.

"If I may be frank, I don't exactly blame him, after everything you've told me," Ian said.

"I know," Toris said. "I spoke to Feliks today. He asked me why I didn't apologise sooner if I was really sorry. He was right. I _am_ a coward."

Ian frowned.

"He said that to you?" he asked.

Toris nodded.

"But I deserved it," Toris said. "He was right. I hurt him, all because I was afraid of going against Ivan. And I had many opportunities to apologise and try to patch things up, but I was afraid that Ivan would hear about it and hurt _me_."

Ian sighed, but nodded his head.

"Thank you," Ian said. "I'll contact you if I need anything else."

Toris flinched slightly, before he made a hasty retreat. Ian tiredly massaged his temples. They had one more testimony. One more thing they could present as evidence when they challenged the three remaining bullies. If something didn't happen to those three, of course.

Again, Ian made a note to ask Arthur about what he knew later.

…

"It doesn't look like he's home," Natalia remarked.

The three of them were standing in Feliks's living room, after Natalia had picked the lock. They were all staring at the sheer amount of _pink_ in Feliks's home.

"Freak," Mathias commented.

"I wonder what he has in his closet," Ivan commented.

"What do you have in mind?" Natalia asked.

…

"Thanks for the lift," Vlad said, smiling.

Alice Kirkland nodded her head, a small smile on her own face.

"It's no problem at all," Alice said.

Arthur had suggested that Vlad go with him and his mother, in case he should run into Ivan, Natalia or Mathias. If something were to happen and Vlad felt the need to protect himself, then there could be problems for them all. And besides, just because they said that the final step would be to make a conscious choice to kill someone, didn't mean that the demonic sides wouldn't try to act on their own.

"Remember what we've discussed," Arthur said.

"Of course," Vlad said, wincing slightly.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow," Arthur said.

Vlad nodded his head, turning to his house. He turned back to wave one last time, before entering.

Immediately after locking the door, he placed an enchantment on it. The bite on his thumb stung slightly, but it didn't matter. It was for everyone's protection. They already knew that Gilbert could pick locks, but they didn't know if anyone else could. So just to be safe, they figured that it would be a good idea to fortify his house with magic. And that applied to the windows as well.

When everything was done, Vlad collapsed on his bed. It was tiring work, but it was finished. Now, he was the only one who could open his door and windows.

He was disappointed that he couldn't find either Feliks or Lovino after school. He hadn't really spent any time with them that day. It was just that short conversation in the hallways. And, after spending so much time together lately, Vlad felt… lonely.

Going through his options, Vlad decided to see how Matthew was feeling. After he left the previous night, Vlad was consumed by worry. The thought of something happening to his brother made Vlad's stomach twist, and even if they didn't get along, he was sure that Matthew felt the same. So he just wanted to be sure that he was coping alright.

Vlad dialled Matthew's number, waiting as the rings seemed to echo.

…

Matthew turned his attention to the phone. He already knew that it was Vlad that was calling him, and wondered whether or not he should answer. Deciding that it wouldn't hurt, he picked up the phone.

"Hey Vlad," Matthew said in a weak voice.

"Hey," Vlad said. "Are you alright?"

"I… I just can't believe he's dead. It's so… _quiet_ here now. And… I know he was a jerk and everything, but he was still my brother. I… I can't believe he's _gone_."

"Da. But it's strange, though."

"Maybe… Maybe he was hurt all along, and I didn't even realise. He… he might have been hurting us all this time because he was hurt too. He… He told me a lot of times that… that he would leave all of you alone… if I just left you guys."

"So that you could be friendless?"

"Yeah."

"I don't care about his reasons, he still shouldn't have done all of that to us. To _you_. And… Matt, if you want to talk to someone, just call me."

Matthew smirked, but when he spoke there was no trace of it.

"Thanks," he said, making his voice sound just slightly relieved, but touched by the kind offer. "I… I think I'll be coming to school tomorrow."

"Are you sure?" Vlad asked.

"Y-yeah. I… I can't lose too many school days, you know?"

"I guess you're right. Then I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

Matthew hung up the phone, and his smirk widened. He couldn't detect a note of suspicion in Vlad's voice.

He had felt his instincts and senses grow stronger. He also shared a connection with Blood, as well as the other demonic sides, without his friends' knowledge. It was the same that their demonic sides used to have while they were completely unaware of them. It allowed him to know what his friends were thinking. And it was how he knew that Vlad wasn't suspicious of him.

There were moments when it crossed his mind, but the four demonic sides had a natural camaraderie with each other. Blood would do anything to make sure that Vlad wouldn't want to be separated from them, though it wasn't really necessary. They were the first people that were nice to him in the town, followed by Arthur and Lukas. And after the latter two had showed that they were a little scared of Vlad because of his impending transformation, Vlad wouldn't form too much of a connection between them. He would still want to be around Feliks, Lovino and Matthew.

But still, Arthur and Lukas were nuisances. He would have to deal with them at some point. And he would need to make sure that they lost their suspicion of him.

…

Toris was pacing in his room, his hands pressed against his head. After his supposed conversation with Ivan and Natalia, things only became worse for him.

He kept hearing people telling him that he's a coward. That he wouldn't be anyone's friend because he didn't have a shred of loyalty. That he would betray anyone if it meant he could protect himself.

The voices sounded like everyone he knew at school. And they only became louder and louder.

He figured that it was the guilt speaking. He had hurt Feliks, and he had helped pave the way for the torture that Feliks had to go through in school. And he had thought that he could silence the voices if he confessed his part to the police, but they only grew louder.

And there were times when he thought he could see someone, only for nothing to be there.

He was going insane, and he wanted it all to end.

…

"Like, thanks for the lift," Feliks said.

Romulus smiled.

"Think nothing of it," Romulus said.

"You know I could have dropped him off myself," Lovino muttered.

"And miss the chance to get to know my grandson's friend a little better?"

Feliks grinned, before he looked over to his house again. And froze.

He had only looked at it briefly, but now he could clearly see that the door was ajar. Feeling panicked, he flew out the car and ran towards his house.

"Wait!" Lovino shouted. "You forgot the…"

"Look," Romulus said, eyes wide. "His door's opened."

Lovino's eyes widened as well, before he followed his friend.

Feliks went to the living room, where he saw that everything had been overturned, and his pink décor was missing. Feeling concerned, he went to his bedroom, with Lovino following behind, surveying the damage as well.

Feliks froze, smelling smoke. He went to the bathroom, and screamed in horror at what he saw.

In the bathtub was a large black pile. The bathtub itself had black scorch marks around that pile. And Feliks recognised one or two things.

In an instant he made his way to his bedroom, going straight to the closet. And he whimpered when he saw that all of his clothes – or at least the feminine clothes – had been removed. He knew what the smouldering pile in his bathtub used to be.

Romulus came up to them, his phone in his hand.

"I called the police," Romulus said. "They're on their way. Try not to touch anything until they arrive."

Feliks barely heard him. His mind had gone blank. This… This was…

He knew who it was. There were only three people it _could_ be, after all. But if it was only one of them and not all three…

Well, he wouldn't want to go after the wrong person.

…

Ian returned home, feeling his exhaustion building even more. He had just returned from investigating Feliks Łukiesciewisc's house, and he was once again shocked by the things that _teenagers_ could do.

Destruction of property… Feliks had lost a lot of his everyday clothes, his bedsheets, his pillows, his rug… All of it had been set ablaze.

But the vandals had been smart. They did it in the bathtub, where not many things could accidentally catch fire and where they could turn on the tap if the fire got out of hand. It had been planned, and was executed _too_ perfectly.

Ian shook his head, deciding to focus on another thing that had been bothering him: the reason for all of the deaths. The school was becoming frantic, and parents were starting to make demands. He went to Arthur's room, finding him with his homework.

"Arthur, could I ask you something?" Ian asked.

Arthur looked up and nodded to his father.

"You know what's going on in town, don't you?" Ian asked. "Regarding all the deaths."

Arthur fidgeted nervously, and Ian knew that he knew something.

"Tell me," Ian demanded.

"Well…" Arthur said. "There are… four demons."

Ian's eyes widened, and he leaned against the doorframe.

"Four demons?" he repeated. "What kind?"

"Well… we're not sure," Arthur said. "But… They have the aspects Insanity, Blood, Death and Decay."

Ian thought back to the three they had found in the house. They looked as though they had killed themselves. And Alfred Jones had _also_ killed himself. It could be the work of a demon.

"What do they want?" Ian asked.

Arthur hesitated, before he shook his head. Either he didn't know, or he was reluctant to say anything.

"People have died, and some are missing," Ian said. "I want to know as much as possible."

"These demons are out of our league," Arthur said. "The Magic Club, I mean."

Ian sighed, but nodded his head in understanding.

"If there's _anything_ you can tell me about them, let me know," Ian said. "Also inform your mother and brothers. We _need_ to stop them."

"…I know," Arthur said.

…

Vlad went to answer the door when he heard the knocking. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Lovino and Feliks standing on the other side, with Lovino's grandfather not far away.

"Did something happen?" Vlad asked, looking between his two friends.

"They broke into the Pink Jerk's house and burned his clothes," Lovino explained.

"What?"

"Like, all my pretty clothes…" Feliks said.

"We can't let him stay there," Lovino explained. "It's too dangerous. So we're hoping he could stay here because… Well, there isn't a lot of room in my house."

Vlad looked between the two and nodded his head. Feliks smiled.

"Like, thanks a lot," Feliks said. "Like, I'm sorry to be a bother."

"It can't be helped," Vlad said. "You're not the one at fault. But… how could they _do_ something like that?"

"We don't know," Lovino said. "But I hope the police actually _do_ something about them. Or _I_ will."

Vlad tried to hide his wince. He didn't want that to happen. But he was so focused on Lovino that he failed to notice Feliks's eyes flash red.


	30. Chapter 29

**Thanks to Kattie, ScandinavianTrash, Shattering Colors, Chireain, Allans and RinKagamine002 for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 29**

"Oh crap," Feliks said.

"We're doomed," Vlad said.

"Like, we could just…"

"No, this is the end. We're finished."

The two were in Chemistry class, and Alistair Kirkland announced that they would be having a surprise test. And judging by the reactions, _no one_ felt confident about it.

"You can't just do this unannounced," a Mexican girl said.

"Right," a Brazilian boy said. "We need to prepare."

"And with all the deaths happening…" a Slovakian boy said.

"Shut up," Alistair said. "This test isn't so hard, _if_ you paid attention in class. And we _need_ to go on like everything's normal. You think _I'm_ happy about this?"

Feliks spun around in his seat, glaring at Arthur.

"Like, you could have warned us," Feliks said.

"No, I couldn't," Arthur said. "Alistair hasn't even told _me_ about it, and he has a few booby traps in place if I _do_ know about a test that he's giving us."

" _Everyone's_ equal in my class," Alistair said as he placed a sheet of paper facedown in front of Arthur, before he did the same with Vlad and Feliks. "You have until the end of the period to finish the test. Your time starts _now_."

'Don't you mean it _ends_ now?' Vlad thought.

'We are so totally screwed,' Feliks thought.

…

Lovino was laughing at Feliks and Vlad. The two Eastern Europeans had explained about the surprise test they had written, and were currently glaring at the Italian. Matthew had a sympathetic smile on his face, but it was hard to tell exactly what he was thinking.

"Like, it's not _that_ funny," Feliks muttered.

"No," Lovino snickered. "But your faces are. You look like you went through hell."

"A surprise _Chemistry_ test," Vlad said. "Let's see how _you_ like it."

"There's also supposed to be an English test tomorrow," Matthew said. "All the classes in our year are going to write it."

The other three all groaned. Lovino had lost all of his mirth.

"Like, why does it feel as though they're trying to force everything on us at once?" Feliks asked.

"They want to pretend that everything's normal," Vlad sighed. "That _we_ didn't kill so many other students."

"They don't know that," Lovino said. "And we don't know about the Hamburger Bastard."

"Don't worry," Matthew said. "I know it wasn't any of you."

"Yeah," Feliks said. "Like, we know that even if your brother was an asshole, you still cared about him. We wouldn't do anything like _that_ to him."

Matthew nodded his head, looking glum.

"So, Feliks," Matthew said, "Vlad tells me you had trouble yesterday."

Feliks's expression darkened, and he averted his eyes.

"Yeah," Feliks said. "Like, it was those assholes. I'm sure of it. But… I don't know if it was just _one_ of them. But, like, they went too far."

"Vlad didn't go into detail," Matthew said. "What did they do?"

"Like, they broke into my house and burned my clothes… Like, why do they _do_ these things?"

"They're bastards," Lovino said.

"Like, I wish they would just _stop_ ," Feliks groaned.

"Unfortunately, they won't," Matthew said. "They won't give us a break."

"If only I know _who_ did it…"

"And what do you hope to accomplish?" Vlad asked. "What are you going to do if you know who's responsible?"

Feliks whimpered.

"I don't know," he said. "Like, I have no idea."

Matthew bit his lip, before he looked around the lunchroom. Things were mostly as they usually were, except…

"Hey, have you seen Toris?" Matthew asked. "He doesn't look so good."

"Toris?" Feliks questioned, following Matthew's gaze. His face darkened. "Like, serves him right."

"What happened?" Vlad asked, looking over towards the Lithuanian.

"Don't worry about it," Lovino said.

"No, I think he _should_ hear about it," Matthew said.

"What is it?" Vlad asked.

"Like, remember when we said they pull any potential friends away?" Feliks asked.

Vlad slowly nodded his head. He vaguely remembered them mentioning it when he had started about two weeks ago – had it only been two weeks? That the bullies didn't allow them to have any other friends.

"Toris was someone like that," Matthew said. "He and Feliks arrived at around the same time. And it looked as though they would be fast friends."

"But it didn't happen like that," Vlad said simply.

"Like, no kidding," Feliks said.

"Ivan was _also_ interested in Toris," Matthew explained. "But he didn't like Feliks."

"It's because the Pink Jerk didn't let himself be pushed around," Lovino said with a smirk.

"And the fact that Feliks liked crossdressing made things a little difficult," Matthew added. "He already had to deal with other students calling him a freak and other nicknames that I don't want to repeat."

"The Scarf Bastard managed to scare the Lithuanian Bastard, and forced him to call Feliks a… well…"

"He called me a _freak_ ," Feliks said. "In front of the whole school."

Vlad flinched, knowing that it was a sore spot for Feliks. In fact, it was due to his status as a 'freak' that Insanity had gotten that name. The same as Vlad with the title of 'vampire', Matthew as 'ghost' and Lovino's 'power' for 'ruining' things.

"But like you said, Ivan _forced_ him to…" Vlad started.

"Like, it's no excuse," Feliks said. "He still said it. _He_ was the one that said it. And Ivan… he was part of the crowd. So don't tell me that he was _forced_."

Vlad winced, seeing a brief flash of red in Feliks's eyes. But the effect was mostly softened by the tears gathering in his eyes. It was obvious that it had been a very painful experience for Feliks. And considering he and Toris appeared to be befriending each other…

"Like, you're not going to leave us, are you?" Feliks asked in a weak voice, looking towards Vlad.

"Of course not," Vlad said, smiling softly. "You're some of the nicest people I've ever met – probably the nicest in this school. And I enjoy spending time with you. And it doesn't look like anyone else is interested."

"What about Lukas and Arthur?" Matthew asked.

Vlad sighed.

"We're in the same club," Vlad said. "And… I told them about what we need to do to finish the transformation. Combined with what they already knew… they were… a little scared, to be honest. Like… they expect me to turn into a demon at any moment. Or that… I would cross the final line."

"But, like, you wouldn't do that," Feliks said. " _None_ of us would. We're not like that."

Matthew glanced towards Feliks, an odd look in his eyes, but he nodded his agreement.

Vlad smiled, before looking down.

"They're scared," Vlad said. "It's natural. But it still hurts, you know?"

"Si," Lovino said. "I wouldn't want my fratelli or nonno to find out about this."

"We just need to wait it out and be strong," Vlad said. "Their days at this school are numbered. I'm sure that if we don't have them to worry about anymore, things would go well."

"But what will they do until then?" Matthew asked. "I mean, look at what happened to Feliks yesterday. And Lovino… I mean, on Monday, Antonio tried to kill you."

Lovino flinched, averting his gaze.

"Yeah," Lovino breathed. "Let's hope nothing like that happens again."

…

Matthew was in his Math class, utterly bored. Everyone was busy with the exercises the teacher had given, which Matthew had already completed. Being a demon meant that he didn't have to struggle with human trivialities anymore.

He had managed to see the deception in Feliks's words. Feliks wanted to reassure the others that they would never do something like that, while _planning_ to do something like that.

Feliks just needed to figure out who to target, and how he wanted to go about it. And soon enough, Matthew wouldn't be alone anymore.

…

'Like, do you have any ideas?' Feliks thought.

" _A few,"_ Insanity responded _. "Are you sure you're prepared?"_

'Like, what they did was unforgivable. I totally can't let them get away with it.'

Feliks wasn't paying attention in class, but he didn't care. He needed to figure out what he was going to do. He also needed to figure out who was to blame.

" _I can already save you the trouble,"_ Insanity sighed. _"All three of them were there."_

'Like, how can you be sure?' Feliks wondered.

" _I have my ways. Ways that you would have access to soon enough. Do you want to hear?"_

'Like, teach me everything. And if you have an idea, I _totally_ want to hear it.'

" _Of course_. _"_

…

Wulfric glanced over towards Ian, who had his face planted on the desk with his hands buried in his hair. It was how the Brit had been for a few hours, and Wulfric wasn't going to bother him, knowing that the stress was getting to him.

Wulfric could sympathise. Ian had taken a lot on his shoulders. He was the one who decided to look into the bullying of the four students, and tried to make them understand that he was there to help them, a task which turned out to have been difficult. Wulfric knew that he himself wouldn't have had the patience to do it. Even though he had sons as well, he wasn't as sympathetic.

He wondered if that was part of the reason why Gilbert had turned into a bully to those four.

He had heard of it from Ian, and he had asked Ludwig what he knew about it. Both had confirmed that Gilbert had been cruel towards the four students.

But where was Gilbert now?

He was a police officer. And he was a father. He knew that he wasn't the most affectionate, but he still cared for his two sons. And one of them had disappeared without a trace.

Well, perhaps not completely. There was still Wulfric's gun, which had Gilbert's fingerprints. But _how_ did it end up there? Did Gilbert take it there? Or did someone else dump it there?

It was frustrating. They were police officers in a town mostly inhabited by teenagers. They shouldn't have to deal with something like this. It should be truancy, loitering, shoplifting… Not murder or disappearances.

And the fact that it was only the second week since this whole mess had started… Things weren't supposed to happen so fast.

Wulfric perked up when a man and woman entered the police station. Ian remained in the same position, though.

"How may I help you?" Wulfric asked.

"We are Robert and Dana James," the man said. "Our son is – _was_ – Allen James."

Wulfric winced. It would seem the non-local parents would be coming in now.

…

Toris had asked to be excused from his last class. He just _needed_ … He needed a reprieve.

He also needed a place where he could be spared from the voices. Or rather, where he knew that the voices were in his head, and not being used by the people around him. It was too much. He had already lost a night's worth of sleep, and it was _impossible_ to concentrate.

He had chosen the bathroom as his sanctuary, and he glanced into the mirror, seeing the bloodshot eyes and the bags underneath them. He had no idea why this was happening. It had to be more than simple guilt.

" _Well, this is annoying."_

Toris whimpered, clamping his ears shut. A voice, louder than all the others, echoed in his head.

" _This was unintentional, but… Well, it's just too good an opportunity. It was supposed to be Mathias, Ivan or Natalia, but you'll do."_

"What?" Toris whispered, staring into the mirror.

" _I realise that it's unfair, but when has life treated_ me _fairly? Do you think you deserve mercy after what you did? Do you have any idea how much it hurt?"_

That voice… Toris knew that voice.

" _I also realised that having a sacrifice would be better. It means that when the time comes, I can kill those three without problems. But you would need to go first. To complete my transformation. And to tie up loose ends."_

Toris's eyes widened when he realised that it was Feliks's voice, and Feliks's face appeared in the mirror.

" _Like, do widzenia."_

…

Alice sighed in frustration. Feliks had been brought to her office because he fainted in class. It would seem that he was _still_ rather unwell.

It didn't look as though he would be coming to anytime soon. Oh well. It was the last period of the day. He wouldn't be missing too much work.

After checking to make sure that Feliks didn't have a fever or anything, she sat down at her desk and pulled out a book.

…

After the final bell rang, Matthew made his way to the nurse's office. He was there to fetch Feliks.

Alice looked up from her book when he entered, and he searched around until he found Feliks.

"He hasn't woken up at all," Alice said. "I checked to see if he has a fever or anything. I also checked his blood pressure and sugar. Everything is fine. Perhaps it's exhaustion? I heard what happened yesterday, and can't blame him for being mentally exhausted."

"It might be that," Matthew said, nodding.

He made his way towards Feliks, and gently shook his shoulder to wake him. The Pole groaned, before opening his eyes.

"Hey Matt," Feliks said. "Like, what happened?"

"You fainted," Matthew said. "Come on. We'll take you home."

Feliks nodded, and he shakily stood. Alice watched them as they left, but didn't pursue. It wasn't her job to do so.

As soon as they were out of her sight, Feliks walked more confidently, his face twisting into a more relaxed expression. There was no longer a need to act weak.

"So, you killed Alfred?" Feliks asked in a low voice.

Matthew nodded.

"And I'm surprised by the route _you_ took," Matthew said. "I thought for sure that you would go for Mathias, Ivan or Natalia. Or maybe all of them."

"I thought about that too, but figured that there was a loose end I needed to tie up," Feliks said. "Seeing as he caused me so much pain, I don't mind. And him apologising only opened the old wounds."

"Apologies mean nothing," Matthew said. "By the way, do you want to see what you look like now?"

Feliks came to a halt, before he nodded his head. The two of them went to an empty bathroom, and through their powers locked the door. Feliks then snapped his fingers, allowing himself to change.

His hair grew longer, and was curled slightly at the tips, giving him a more feminine look. He wore a dark pink dress which flowed to his feet, which were bare. The dress also had a black outer corset and was sleeveless, but he had darker pink elbow-length fingerless gloves. His eyes were red, and he had a tattoo on his left cheek, neck, shoulder, arm, back and chest that looked like a scattering of red feathers.

Feliks turned to Matthew with a smirk.

"Well, how do I look?" Feliks asked.

"Like someone you'd be foolish to underestimate," Matthew said.

Feliks chuckled, before turning back to the mirror.

"I know that you were planning to motivate us to finish the transformation," Feliks said. "That's why you spoke about Toris, isn't it?"

"Are you mad?" Matthew asked calmly.

"You already know the answer to that, don't you? Besides, I think I would do the same thing. I'm actually glad I didn't get those last three. If they can get Lovino and Vlad to complete _their_ transformations…"

"Then it would be worth it," Matthew said.

"It might have been a sacrificial lamb, but… He deserved it. All those cowards that stand by while cruelty is happening in front of them… And they think they're _safe_? They don't deserve mercy for allowing things like that to happen. Oh, and Morthew? I kind of like it."

"Thank you. What about you?"

"Do I want a name? Sure. Something that connects my human origins to my demon nature. Like you. Let's see…"

Feliks turned back to him and grinned.

"How about Felsza?" Feliks suggested. "It combines my name with the word 'szalony', which means 'insane'."

Matthew nodded his head.

"It sounds rather feminine," Matthew said.

"Yeah, well…" Feliks said, turning back to the mirror. "I was always more comfortable wearing clothes like this. And men… They don't have good clothes. And I've never been butch…"

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," Matthew said. "But we would need to think of ways to get Lovino and Vlad to join us. And we'll need to deal with Arthur and Lukas. No matter how you look at it, they're a threat."

Feliks nodded his head.

"I won't let anyone else take another friend away," Feliks said. "And I won't let anyone else betray us ever again."

…

Eduard went to the bathroom after school. He had a long walk ahead of him. And he was also curious to know where Toris was, since the three of them usually stuck together.

Toris had been acting very strangely since the previous day. Eduard wanted to know what was going on with his friend. With everything that had been happening recently, having Toris act as though he was going insane wasn't helping. Perhaps it was just stress because of everything? Eduard hoped that it was nothing.

As he opened the bathroom door, he immediately took a step back, his eyes wide and mouth opened in a silent scream.

A figure was lying in a pool of his own blood, with a glass shard in his hand. The shard came from the shattered mirror. Eduard felt the bile rise up his throat, and he clamped his hand in front of his mouth to prevent the inevitable.

He recognised the mop of brown hair, even if it was covered in blood. And he felt the horror grow.

Lying in the pool of blood was none other than Toris.

 **Since Feliks had already subconsciously attacked Toris, and since he was resolved to kill someone and become a demon anyway, he decided to go for someone that he already had a mental link with to kill him with ease. As Matthew had thought in a previous chapter, the fact that he did it made it easier for Feliks to take the final step.**

 **And the feminine-looking demon? Part of it was due to Makai Ouji's Gilles de Rais, who is also very feminine in dress and certain mannerisms. And is in love with Jeanne d'Arc. I also read the trope and poem for 'the female of the species is more deadly than the male' (TV Tropes, search 'more deadly than the male'), and figured that anyone who knows this would try to give that impression. That's Felsza, trying to give that impression, even if he isn't strictly female. And the part of men not having good clothes is due to me playing Sims and taking forever to find something stylish for the men to wear (since the Sims' fashion sense isn't the best), while I have my pick if I want to find something for the women to wear.**


	31. Chapter 30

**Thanks to Zaaze, Olivia Kirkland, Chireain, Mossflower1234, Elizaveta Herdervary – Hungary, Shattering Colors, Allans and ScandinavianTrash for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 30**

"Like, hey!" Feliks greeted as he ran up to Vlad.

Vlad and Lovino had been waiting after school, and they turned to see their remaining two friends approaching. Feliks was as exuberant as ever, while Matthew was more subdued than Feliks. But both of them seemed to be quite happy.

"Did something happen?" Vlad asked.

"No," Feliks said, cocking his head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you both look as though you won the lottery or something," Lovino said.

Feliks shook his head.

"Like, tomorrow's Friday," Feliks said. "After tomorrow, we can like totally relax."

Vlad chuckled.

"I guess that _is_ reason enough to be happy," Vlad said.

"Don't we all have that English test tomorrow?" Lovino asked.

"It'll be fine," Matthew said.

"Says the native speaker!"

"I guess we'll have to go over our grammar rules again," Vlad said sheepishly. "Speaking it is different from _knowing_ it. At least we were warned about _this_ test."

"True," Lovino sighed. "Anyway, I came with my own car today. I can take you all home."

"Thank you," Matthew said.

They had just turned around to walk away when Vlad felt a chill. He looked around, before seeing Arthur and Lukas staring at him. He excused himself before going over towards those two, not noticing the dark looks on the others' faces.

"Is something wrong?" Vlad asked.

"Where's that stone we gave you?" Arthur asked.

Vlad flinched, looking sheepish.

"Sorry," Vlad said. "I forgot it at home. Do you want it back?"

"No," Lukas said, removing his hand from his pocket to reveal another stone. "We made another one. And I think you need to be sure."

Vlad looked confused, before taking the stone from Lukas. He yelped, almost dropping it.

"What is…?" Vlad asked.

"There's a demon nearby," Arthur said.

Vlad froze, looking towards his friends.

"It couldn't be…" Vlad muttered.

"You may want to consider it," Arthur said.

Vlad looked down, before he handed the stone back to Lukas.

"I… I don't want to…" he muttered again.

"It doesn't matter if you want to or not," Lukas said. "It's a very strong possibility. Unless there's another demon lurking around…"

"It _might_ be a possibility," Vlad said. "A few years ago I was attacked by a demon. He returned about a week ago."

Arthur sighed.

"I know you don't want to believe it," Arthur said, "but you're grasping at straws."

"That demon you mentioned," Lukas said, "what does it want?"

"It wanted to possess my body," Vlad said. "But when it realised what's happening to me, it decided to stick around. Apparently, my potential transformation is a great source of entertainment to it."

" _That_ doesn't sound good," Arthur said. "But you need to be absolutely sure."

Vlad swallowed thickly before nodding his head.

"I understand," Vlad said, before he turned to leave.

"Good luck," Lukas said.

Vlad nodded in acknowledgement before he made his way towards the other three. Lovino crossed his arms.

"What did they want?" Lovino demanded.

"Club business," Vlad said. "Don't worry about it."

Feliks and Matthew exchanged a look, their faces blank. Vlad remembered the previous conversation the four of them had.

"It's nothing like that, I promise," Vlad said. "It's honestly just club business."

Lovino sighed.

"Fine, whatever," Lovino said. "Let's just go."

Vlad nodded, and the four went to Lovino's car.

"What about your brothers?" Vlad asked.

"Feliciano is going with the Potato Bastard," Lovino said.

"Remind me who that is again."

"Gilbert's brother," Matthew explained.

"Oh. Why is he a bastard again?"

"Because I don't like him," Lovino said.

Vlad chuckled. The simple way in which Lovino said it made things seem so normal. Vlad had forgotten that Lovino called someone a 'bastard' based on whether or not he liked them or not. Or when he didn't know yet whether or not he liked them or not. Vlad had assumed that everyone that Lovino called a 'bastard' was just that. It was probably because the only people Vlad heard referred to as 'bastard' were their bullies.

The four got in Lovino's car, and the Italian had already started it when something occurred near the entrance. And Lovino was already on his way when people started to panic.

Two of the four friends were oblivious to the chaos left behind, while the other two were surprised that it had taken that long for there to _be_ chaos in the first place.

…

"Not another one…" Ian sighed.

Wulfric was crouched beside the corpse, while Ian was examining the shattered mirror.

"It _looks_ like a suicide," Wulfric said. "But… It's too much of a coincidence for this to be _another_ suicide."

Ian nodded his head, examining the mirror. Most of it was still inside the frame, but a few large shards had broken free, including the one used to end the student's life. The first murder _also_ had shattered mirrors, as well as shattered lights. However, in _this_ case, it was clear that the mirror had been punched, judging by a few drops of blood, as well as the lacerations on the corpse's fists.

"The victim is Toris Laurinaitis," Wulfric said, going over his notes from when he spoke to the Estonian student.

"Toris?" Ian asked, turning to his colleague. "He came to testify yesterday."

"Really? Did he seem odd to you?"

"He looked out of it, but… Not _suicidal_."

"In what ways did he seem out of it?"

Ian thought about it.

"His eyes weren't focused," Ian said. "It was as though he was seeing and hearing something else, but that didn't stop him from giving his statement."

"You don't think he was under the influence or anything?" Wulfric asked.

"No, nothing like that. His eyes weren't glazed or bloodshot, and I didn't smell anything from him. His mannerisms were closer to someone suffering from sleep deprivation, except that the symptoms were lacking."

Wulfric sighed, looking back down at the student. Ian was forced to ponder again.

He was aware of the fact that there were four demons in the town. Four demons that were on a killing spree, it would seem. If Toris had been targeted by one, then it could have been toying with him before forcing him to kill himself.

Of course, Ian couldn't say that to Wulfric.

Ian glanced towards the door, and he saw Arthur standing there, looking nervous. Ian threw his partner a look before he went to speak to his son.

"Do you know anything?" Ian asked quietly.

"I... I don't know," Arthur said, eyes focused on the carnage inside.

"Arthur, I need you to give me more details about these demons."

Arthur bit his lip. He was hiding something, but what or why, Ian didn't know. But he had a feeling that it would make all the difference.

"Arthur, if you know _anything_ more, you _need_ to tell me," Ian said. "We can't allow any more people to die."

Especially since they were already dealing with the parents of the dead students.

"I..." Arthur said. "I don't..."

" _Please_ ," Ian pleaded.

Arthur swallowed.

"I can't... They're..."

It was in that moment that Ian understood why Arthur was hesitating.

"They're possessing someone, aren't they?" Ian asked.

"...Something like that," Arthur said.

Ian wanted to ask who, but he had a feeling that Arthur wouldn't want to reveal that bit of information, given how reluctant he was otherwise. So instead, he would need to think of _who_ Arthur might want to protect.

His thoughts immediately went to Vlad Lupei and his three friends. Vlad and Arthur were in the same club. And Arthur _did_ say that there were _four_ demons... It would also explain why all of the deaths were connected to those four.

Even those three found in one of their homes... They lived on the same street as Vlad and Feliks. It wouldn't be too hard to believe that the four of them were being possessed by demons and forced to kill people.

But now a new problem was made clear: how to deal with it? The teenagers couldn't be blamed for the actions they were forced to commit by a demon. Not to mention the fact that Ian didn't even know whether or not they were _aware_ of what was happening to them. And then there was the fact that the demons could retaliate if they tried anything.

 _If_ they were to arrest them or something, the demons would see themselves as threatened. They would, at the very least, try to kill Ian and Wulfric, the officers who would be responsible for the threat. They could also try to go for the families of those officers, and Ian didn't want to place his wife and sons in danger. And then there was the possibility that the demons could turn on their hosts. They would kill the teenagers from the inside out, and there would be nothing that the officers could do to stop them.

"...It's Vlad and his friends, isn't it?" Ian asked.

Arthur looked surprised for a moment, before he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Are they aware of it?" Ian asked.

"Yes," Arthur said. "Vlad called last week and explained the situation. He... He realised that there were a few gaps in his memory and used a spell to try and clear it up. That's when he realised... He called Lukas and I to help him, but... right now, there's nothing we can do."

"Do you know what type of demon it is?"

"...Not exactly."

Ian sighed, before he nodded. He looked back inside the bathroom to see that Wulfric was still occupied with the corpse. He knew that Wulfric was just allowing him to have a word with his son, and wasn't listening in on their conversation.

"I think, tonight, we'll have a family meeting," Ian said. "This can't go on like this. I know Vlad is your friend and all, but we can't allow more people to die. And we would need to save him from the demon as well."

Arthur winced.

"Things might not be that simple," Arthur said.

"Well, I'm sure you can figure it out with your brothers," Ian said. "Arthur, we _really_ need to stop any more deaths from occurring."

Arthur bowed his head.

"I know."

…

Matthew sighed in frustration. He was already in his own room after being dropped off at home by Lovino. And he was waiting for Arthur to be alone.

He was keeping a close eye on the Brit. It demanded a lot of focus, but it was nothing that he couldn't handle. But it _would_ be easier, once he'd grown more powerful…

He gritted his teeth. Arthur had made himself even _more_ of a nuisance. Now his father knew as well that they were demons.

Or rather, his father was led to believe that they were _possessed_ by demons.

While not technically the truth, there was too much attention directed in their direction. Something needed to be done. And fast.

Feliks would have to keep an eye on Vlad, and if it was possible, nudge him in the right direction. So Matthew would have to deal with Lukas and Arthur.

Well, Arthur was unavailable. Perhaps he could check on Lukas…

…

Lukas was studying in his bedroom. Emil knew not to disturb him. He knew that the teachers were trying to act as though everything was normal, but a series of tests wasn't the way to go.

"You look as though you're hard at work."

Lukas literally jumped up when he heard the voice and spun around, only to be slammed against the wall. He realised that the other was using telekinesis, and he stared into the red eyes of what he assumed was Matthew in his true demon form.

"So, _you're_ the one," Lukas said. "I was right."

"So you were…" Matthew said in a cold voice.

"You killed your brother!"

"He wished _me_ dead _._ I just beat him to the punch."

Lukas attempted to struggle against the hold, but it was impossible.

"What do you want?" Lukas snarled.

Matthew narrowed his eyes.

"I want you to stay away from Vlad," Matthew said. "And not interfere."

Lukas narrowed his eyes.

"Why should I?" Lukas demanded.

Matthew chuckled.

"You wouldn't want something to happen to Emil, would you?" Matthew asked.

Lukas froze, his eyes widening in horror. Matthew smirked.

"I thought so," Matthew said. "Stay away from Vlad. And don't do anything that would interfere with the others' transformations. Or I'll arrange that Emil becomes the sacrifice."

Lukas closed his eyes and nodded. He was released from Matthew's hold and slumped to the ground.

"Please don't hurt Mathias either," Lukas whispered.

" _That_ is out of the question," Matthew said. "Your cousin is far from innocent. He is partly the cause for all of this. He will die, and it would be nothing less than what he deserves."

Lukas whimpered.

"The offer is to not let an innocent bystander suffer," Matthew said. "Due to your interference, you don't count as 'innocent' anymore. Nothing's stopping me from killing you right now."

"So why don't you?"

Matthew grinned.

"Because you still have a potential use," Matthew said. "Now, stay away from Vlad, and don't even _think_ about trying to warn him. And if you _ever_ try to keep him away from us again, Emil _will_ pay the price."

Matthew disappeared, and Lukas found himself feeling _very_ afraid. He wouldn't have been so frightened if Matthew had threatened to kill him, but threatening to kill _Emil_ …

And he knew he wasn't bluffing. Matthew was a demon now, and couldn't be reasoned with. What he wanted, he would get. And it seemed that the thing he wanted most at the present time was Vlad.

And for Matthew to have turned into a demon… He needed to make a conscious decision to kill someone. And that someone had been Alfred, his own _brother_. Matthew was always the nicest among the three, and Vlad had even said that Matthew was the most disturbed by their impending transformations. So for him to cross that line…

Lukas gulped nervously. If _Matthew_ was willing to do something like that as a human, then what would he have been willing to do as a demon?

Lukas realised that his hands were shaking, and he looked down. He couldn't risk Emil. And… Perhaps, just to be safe, he shouldn't tell Arthur about anything either. He didn't know what Matthew would see as 'interfering', and he didn't want to take any chances.

…

Feliks groaned, burying his hands in his hair. Vlad turned to regard him with a ghost of a smile.

"Problems?" Vlad asked.

"Like, why do we have to do this?" Feliks whined. "We can already speak English. Why do we have to know all those other things?"

Vlad chuckled.

"These things aren't exclusive to English," Vlad said. "All languages have their own grammar rules that you need to understand if you want to speak the language."

"But English is so _hard_ ," Feliks whined. "Like, why the articles? Polish doesn't have it. Why does English need to have them?"

"Hey, be glad it's not German," Vlad said. "I heard it's _worse_. And I suppose it could be difficult for someone learning Romanian as well. Indefinite has a separate word, while definite articles are added _to_ the noun as a suffix."

Feliks groaned again.

"Why do we need to learn this?" Feliks asked.

"An understanding of one set of language rules could help you with learning another language," Vlad said simply. "In fact, I was thinking of learning another language."

"Oh?" Feliks asked.

"Da. I was thinking maybe Italian or something."

Feliks pouted.

"Like, why not Polish?" he asked.

Vlad chuckled.

"I want to try my luck with a sister language first," Vlad explained. "They're supposed to be easier."

Feliks shrugged.

"Like, I guess you have a point," Feliks said.

Vlad chuckled, before he heard his phone go off in his bedroom. He had put it there to prevent any distractions while studying, and he would have ignored it if Feliks's phone hadn't gone off too.

Thinking that it would be best to see for himself and stretch his legs, he decided to go to his room while Feliks checked his own phone.

His phone was on his bedside cabinet, and he quickly grabbed it, reading the message.

 _School is cancelled until further notice_.

Vlad frowned in confusion. Did something happen? Why did the school need to be cancelled? Well, at the very least, they were spared from the English test the following day.

His eyes drifted to his dresser, and he tensed when he saw the stone, meant for detecting a demon. It hadn't worked the previous day. But perhaps…

He didn't want to think like that, but he made his way towards the dresser, picking up the stone once he was close enough. And promptly dropping it.

It was scorching hot, and the sunlight wasn't shining directly on it. Which could mean…

"Like, it was from the school," Feliks said, startling Vlad when he suddenly spoke behind him. Vlad spun around to face his friend. "Like, school's cancelled. We totally don't have to take the test!"

Vlad didn't say anything. It couldn't be. It had to be a lie. Feliks couldn't…

Feliks cocked his head to the side, before shifting his gaze to the stone on the dresser.

"So, that's the little detecting stone," Feliks muttered.

Vlad gasped. There was a quality in Feliks's voice that wasn't meant to be there. Feliks shifted his eyes to Vlad, and he noted with fear that they were red.

"So, I guess you know," Feliks said.

"Why?" Vlad whispered. "How could you do that?"

"Kill someone?" Feliks asked. "Why does it matter? We already killed before. We just made a choice now."

"Who? Who did you kill?"

"I wanted to kill those last three, but then I realised that there's a loose end I needed to tie up. And then I gained a sacrifice." Feliks smirked. "I left those last three for you and Lovi to kill."

Vlad took a step back, but bumped into the dresser. Then, before he could even blink, Feliks was practically pressed against him with his hand on his cheek.

"Don't worry," Feliks whispered. "I won't hurt you…"

 **I'm studying languages, and I really love them. I actually once said that language learning is like a drug to me, and I need my fix by acquiring more resources. The problem is… I can't decide** _ **which**_ **language I want to learn. I've already dabbled in some languages (including Polish and Romanian, which is how I know about the article thing), but like I said, I can't decide** _ **which**_ **to learn. I'm already fluent in Afrikaans and English, proficient in French and German, and completed a beginner's course in Mandarin. But my biggest problem is that I can't focus on just one thing.**

 **Also, I've watched two different videos regarding the easiest languages to learn (at least from an English-speaking perspective), and they're basically all Germanic and Romance languages (one of my definitions of English is that it's a Germanic language that wants to pass off as a Romance language). Germanic: Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, German, Dutch and Afrikaans. Romance: French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. And also on that list was Esperanto (I'm not exactly sure which language family it would be sorted into, but the few words I know have a definite Romance vibe). So when Vlad suggested that he figured learning Italian would be easier, he did his research (especially considering my definition of Romanian is a Romance language that was adopted by the Slavic languages).**

 **And in my personal experience, knowing the mechanics of a language** _ **does**_ **make it easier to learn another. I saw that when I was taking Mandarin. We were a class of eight, with only two of us actually studying languages, but the other girl was a year below me. I was the one that managed to catch on the fastest because I'm already used to differing mechanics in Afrikaans, French and German (English wasn't part of my degree), and so I was more flexible with it. And it made me feel good that I was able to learn something faster and easier than nuclear engineering students (doing their masters, no less).**


	32. Chapter 31

**Thanks to Olivia Kirkland, Kattie, Zaaze, Shattering Colors, Youngbountygirl, Elizaveta Herdervary – Hungary, Chireain, Float1ngWaffles28, ScandinavianTrash and Alllans for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 31**

Vlad groaned, opening his eyes, before abruptly closing them again. He had a splitting headache, and he felt a little nauseous.

"Like, are you okay?"

Vlad whimpered, hearing the loud and familiar voice drumming against his head. He cautiously opened his eyes again to see Feliks standing next to his bed in concern.

"What happened?" Vlad asked, looking around.

"Like, we were studying for that English test and you like totally blacked out," Feliks said. "Like, are you okay?"

"I… I don't…"

His eyes widened, and as though expecting it, Feliks was there with his trash bin. Vlad emptied the contents of his stomach, and when it was done he whimpered.

"I don't think I can go to school tomorrow," Vlad said weakly.

"Like, no probs," Feliks said, smiling. "Like, the school let us know that we won't be going to school until further notice. Like, we totally don't have to take that test tomorrow."

Vlad blinked, before searching for his phone. He found an unread message, and it was indeed as Feliks said. There would be no school the following day.

"Like, do you think you'll be okay?" Feliks asked worriedly.

"I think I need to lie down for a lot longer," Vlad said, massaging his forehead.

"Like, should I call Lovino's grandpa's restaurant for pizza?"

"Do they deliver?"

"Well, Lovino's like off the clock, so he could probably bring it here."

"…I feel like it's abusing our friend, but whatever. I'm just going to sleep it off. Whatever this is."

"Like, gotcha."

Vlad curled up and closed his eyes, not seeing Feliks smirk at all. He could remember studying with Feliks, but then everything became fuzzy. Perhaps it was as Feliks had said: Vlad was studying and blacked out.

Though, he couldn't help but feel that there was something that he was forgetting…

…

Arthur sighed in relief when he finally arrived in his room. Too many things were going on. It was exhausting.

He plopped onto the bed, closing his eyes in bliss. They would have a family meeting later, and he wanted to get as much rest as possible.

But rest would have to wait. He felt a weight pressing on top of him and a shadow looming over him. He opened his eyes, only to find red eyes staring down at him, accompanied by a sinister grin. He tried to scream, but his voice evaded him.

"We wouldn't want your parents or brothers to interrupt us, would we?" the other said.

After having time to absorb the features and the voice, Arthur knew _exactly_ who it was. And it only served to terrify him. This meant that Matthew _was_ the demon, and that Vlad was in serious danger.

Matthew narrowed his eyes, and they flashed.

"I know what you're thinking," Matthew said. "And that's actually what I came to talk about. Stay away from Vlad. No one is going to interfere with his impending transformation. Especially not _you_."

Arthur tried to struggle, but he found that he couldn't move. Matthew smirked.

"I also know that you told your father about us," Matthew said. "Now he's under the impression that we need 'help'. That we need help to get rid of the demons. But it's far too late. There's no stopping the transformation once it's started. It's only a matter of time before all four of us are transformed."

Arthur tried to speak again, but he still lacked a voice. The red eyes flashed in annoyance.

"Don't try to interrupt me when I'm speaking," Matthew said. "Did you know that that's what Alfred used to do? He always spoke when I was trying to say something. He was far louder than me. My parents didn't even notice that he would do that. I'm sick and tired of people treating me like my words don't matter."

Arthur knew that Matthew was the one that killed Alfred. But then… who killed Toris? It was definitely one of them. Matthew cocked his head to the side, before he smirked.

"I know what you're going to ask me," Matthew said. "'How could you kill your own brother?'"

Arthur didn't appreciate the imitation of his voice, but it wasn't too far off.

"Do you want to know what his last words to me were?" Matthew asked, his voice cold. "After I asked him what he would do if I died. 'What would be the difference? You're as good as a ghost anyway'. And before you say that he just said it because he was angry – yes, he was – but the reason why he was angry was because I didn't want to leave my friends when he asked me to. And because he got in trouble for the way _he_ was acting. Why does _he_ get the sympathy? Why is _he_ mourned?"

Arthur's eyes widened. Despite being a demon… He was still Matthew. He was the one that was tormented by his brother. He was the one that was ignored by most of his peers. He was the one who had to give up everything that he was, because his brother was jealous of him, and had more influence. He was the one whose brother enjoyed popularity while he was left in the shadows. He was the one being bullied, and the bullies were his brother's friends.

And Arthur found it hard to blame him in that moment.

Matthew's eyes narrowed, as though he knew what Arthur was thinking.

"I don't need your pity," Matthew said. "Pity does nothing. What good is it that someone pities you, but they refuse to do anything to help you because they're too damn scared of being bullied instead? _You_ were in that position as well, weren't you? You were friends with Alfred. It's only after Vlad joined your club that you decided that enough was enough. You were still his friend, and you weren't friends long enough for you to be unconditionally loyal once you saw what he did to us. Once you saw what he was really like. So tell me Arthur: why did you stay? Was it because he gave you popularity? Was it because he was the first person that wanted to be your friend?"

Arthur avoided his gaze. He didn't have an excuse, and he knew it. Matthew stared at him coldly before he clicked his tongue.

"In case you were wondering, I _did_ want to hear your answer," Matthew said. "Typical. Whenever there's a chance to speak out, everyone stays quiet."

Arthur flinched. He knew that Matthew was right.

"I'm sorry," Arthur whispered.

"It's too late for 'sorry'," Matthew said. "It doesn't change a single thing you've done, or didn't do, and allowed to happen. And do you want to know something interesting?"

Matthew leaned closer, as though to whisper in his ear.

"Alfred wasn't the first to reach out to you," Matthew said. " _I_ was. But because you didn't get my name, and you didn't realise that we were twins until later, you didn't figure out that you were speaking to _me_. That was before Alfred completely destroyed me. It was when I still had some semblance of self-confidence. All because Alfred didn't want me to make any friends."

Arthur's eyes widened. He remembered. He remembered seeing a new student, but then Patrick had teased him about something and he got upset, and the new student came to see if he was alright. The two had spoken for a moment, and Arthur thought that he could make a friend with the new student, and the other was probably thinking the same thing. Before introductions could be made, the bell had rung, and Arthur excused himself before going to his class. But then the new student arrived right after him, and the two bonded more. But the one he had spoken to in class wasn't the one he had spoken to _before_ class.

Alfred had mentioned his brother, and when Arthur actually _saw_ Matthew, Alfred had completely snubbed Matthew and distracted Arthur. And Arthur ended up becoming Alfred's friend, instead of Matthew's.

"I'm not going to let anyone do that again," Matthew said coldly. "You're not taking Vlad away from me. And I'm not the only one that feels like that. Feliks was having a panic attack when he thought that it would happen again."

Arthur recalled that there were many cases of one of the trio – now quartet – making a new friend, only for someone else to dominate the other's attention, or made themselves look like the better option. Sometimes it would simply be a case of becoming disconnected. Sometimes it was because they were afraid of being as unpopular and being bullied. Other times…

Arthur recalled what had happened a few months ago, where Toris had humiliated Feliks in front of the whole school, before Ivan took him under his wing. As far as he knew, Vlad was the first person that Feliks had tried to befriend after that, other than Matthew and Lovino.

"And as for your father…" Matthew said. "I already told Lukas too. You two will stop interfering. You will not try to 'save' Vlad. There's nothing that you can do to stop it. But if you persist… Well, you have more people that I can kill than Lukas does."

Arthur's eyes narrowed.

"If you cared about Vlad at all, you wouldn't want this type of existence for him," Arthur said.

"Tell me, do you know what loneliness – _true_ loneliness – is like?" Matthew asked. "You would do _anything_ to stop yourself from feeling that. And in case you haven't noticed, I'm a demon now. Different moral code."

And Matthew was gone. Arthur gasped as he realised that he could move again, but now he had something else to worry about. He quickly grabbed his phone to call Lukas.

"Arthur?" Lukas asked.

"Matthew said he told you something," Arthur said. "Not to interfere."

"And stay away from Vlad. Arthur… I can't risk Emil. I'm sorry."

"I… I understand. Matthew would definitely go through with it. We already know that Vlad hasn't completed the transformation. Do you think the other two…?"

"I don't know. But I'm sorry. I can't do anything else."

Lukas disconnected the call, and Arthur ran his hand through his hair. He _needed_ to do something. Knowing that he would make a certain demon angry, he called Vlad's number.

"…Didn't Matthew already tell you to stay away from Vlad?"

Arthur yelped, before disconnecting the call. It sounded like Feliks. And for him to know that Matthew had spoken to him about it…

Feliks was one as well, and Arthur knew who killed Toris. And Feliks was with Vlad.

This time, Arthur gripped his hair. What should he do? Vlad was with a demon…

Why was Feliks with Vlad, but not Matthew?

Arthur remembered what his father had said about the previous night. About someone breaking into Feliks's house and burning his clothes. For safety, Feliks had been told to stay with a friend.

And that friend must have been Vlad.

"Mum said dinner's almost ready."

Arthur jumped at the voice, and he looked up to see Will, probably the only one of his elder brothers that Arthur could still tolerate. Will frowned, before he came to sit next to Arthur.

"What's wrong?" Will asked. "You're not stressing about that English test, are you? Because school's cancelled until further notice."

"I-it's not that," Arthur said. "I _wish_ that I could stress about school. I… I'm not ready for this type of thing."

"Hey, everything will be okay," Will said, trying to give his brother a reassuring smile.

Arthur just needed to see that smile for him to burst into tears. Will was startled as Arthur clung to him.

"No, it won't!" Arthur said. "A demon just told me that if I tried to interfere, he would kill all of you! And then there's someone I'd like to consider a friend who's right in the middle of all of this, and I can't do anything to help him! And all of this is happening because we were all so stupid. We didn't help people when they needed it, and now it's too late!"

"Shh," Will shushed. "Calm down, and why don't you tell me everything?"

…

Lovino was slightly annoyed, but he was rather reserved with his complaining. All because he didn't mind it _too_ much.

His grandfather had called him, saying that they had an order that needed to be delivered. Lovino had asked since when they did deliveries, and Romulus had explained that the one ordering was _Feliks_.

So, Lovino had no problem with the delivery.

As soon as he had arrived at the restaurant, the order was done, so he could just take it. And he hoped that Feliks gave a good tip. But he couldn't help but feel concerned. Why did they order something in the first place?

It didn't take him too long to arrive at Vlad's house, and he carried the two boxes of pizza to the door. While the restaurant didn't do deliveries, they _did_ have a takeaway option, and since there were quite a few pizzas on the menu, they needed to have the boxes to accommodate those orders.

Lovino stopped in front of the front door, and just before he was about to knock, the door opened, revealing Feliks. Lovino was slightly surprised, and Feliks grinned.

"Like, I totally heard your car," Feliks said.

"Whatever," Lovino said, rolling his eyes.

Lovino entered the house, his eyes scanning for Vlad but not seeing him in the vicinity. He placed the boxes on the table before rounding on Feliks.

"Where's the Vampire Jerk?" Lovino asked.

"Like, he's sleeping," Feliks said. "Like, it was totally weird. We were like studying, and then he like totally blacked out. He like woke up for a little while, but then he like totally went to sleep again."

"I hope he's okay," Lovino said, making his way to Vlad's room.

He found Vlad on his bed, completely pale. Lovino placed the back of his hand on Vlad's forehead. The Romanian shrank away, but not before Lovino felt his temperature.

"He's icy," Lovino said. "I think he needs more blankets."

"Like, okay!" Feliks said, running to the closet.

Lovino stared at his friend in concern. This wasn't normal. He hoped that he wasn't seriously sick. Or… He hoped the demon half of him wasn't acting up.

Decay had been very quiet lately, and it both relieved and concerned Lovino. He hoped that nothing was going on.

…

Feliks watched as Lovino left, before he went to check on Vlad again. The other hadn't shown any sign of knowing what had happened earlier, and Feliks needed to make sure it stayed like that.

It was necessary. Even if he needed to erase his friend's memories… If he wanted them to be friends for all eternity, it was necessary to help Vlad. He needed to help Vlad to kill someone and complete the transformation.

Vlad wouldn't remember, but Blood would. And Blood wouldn't reveal anything to Vlad. He wouldn't say anything that would keep Vlad away from them. Because Blood was the part of Vlad that _wanted_ the transformation to occur.

…

Arthur looked around at the members of his family. Everyone, with the exception of his younger brother, Peter, was there. Alistair, Will and Patrick, as well as Arthur's parents. Will was looking at Arthur with a worried expression on his face.

"Alright," Ian sighed. "This family meeting is really important."

"Is it about all those deaths?" Alistair asked.

"Yes. Apparently, we're dealing with four demons possessing four students."

"What?!" Alice asked in concern.

"Arthur knows more about it than I do."

All eyes turned to Arthur, and he swallowed nervously. He had spilt everything to Will earlier, and the elder had helped him make a decision regarding what to do.

"About that," Arthur said. "I may not have been… completely honest. We thought it was possession as well, at first."

"What do you mean, 'at first'?" Alistair asked.

Arthur swallowed, before he looked up at the other members of his family.

"We were researching what kinds of demons we're dealing with, based on the markings we saw when we performed a mock-exorcism," Arthur said.

"You. Did. _What_?" Alice demanded.

"It was agreed that it would be the best way to figure out what it was. We managed to find something, but…"

When he didn't continue, Will decided to spur him on.

"Go on," Will said.

"It's a… ritual," Arthur said. "One that allows a human to become a demon. And it was triggered accidentally, affecting four people that fit the requirements."

"What requirements?" Alistair asked.

"Anger, hatred, fear, desperation, frustration…" Arthur listed. "A desire for a specific goal. A gateway to another world – like a mirror – and someone that could use magic."

Ian sighed.

"Vlad is the last ingredient," Ian said. "He's the person that can use magic."

"But how could it be _accidentally_ triggered?" Patrick asked.

"Vlad said that all four of them were standing in front of a mirror when they were angry," Arthur said. "After Vlad had been humiliated. Again. Apparently, the netherworlds saw them and felt they had a lot of potential. And then later that day, after an attack, all four of them broke a mirror out of frustration. Somehow, they managed to do it at the same time."

"How do you know all this?" Alistair asked.

"Vlad told me."

"So the four are turning into demons," Ian said. "Is there a way to stop it?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Part of it involves a subconscious part of your mind to gain sentience – a split personality," he explained. "And they need to fulfil their desires."

"What desires?" Patrick asked.

"Killing their bullies," Ian said, looking pale. "It's like a school shooting, except it's taking longer to carry out. How far are they with the transformations?"

"One last victim," Arthur said. "And Matthew and Feliks already did that. And they… they seem to see me as a threat. They warned me to stay away from Vlad and not to interfere."

"Or what?" Patrick asked.

"Or… Or they'd kill all of you."

 **For me, it takes a while to learn to recognise someone. I can remember either the name or the face, and sometimes it takes me a while still. Like, a few years ago I met a guy and we spoke for a few hours (he was the first person I've met at uni who knows anime, and I'm the first** _ **girl**_ **he met that knows anime). Then the next day, I knew his name, but I couldn't remember his face at all. So the next time I saw him, I didn't recognise him at all until he mentioned anime. It's a similar case for my classmates, where I would spend weeks just to learn to recognise them before I deem it time to learn their names. There was this one girl who had German with me, and we spoke for months. Then we did an assignment where we had to address other people by name, and I addressed her. She expressed surprise that I knew her name, and I only heard it a few times, but by that time I recognised her face enough to be able to remember her name. And most of the times I've heard it, it's because she has a habit to speak in third person. Anyway, this is basically what happened with Arthur. He had a vague recognition, but couldn't tell the two apart, and he had no idea which twin he spoke to. So by the time he learned to recognise the two, he already had it planted in his mind that it was** _ **Alfred**_ **he spoke to originally, and not** _ **Matthew**_ **.**

 **The demons are selfish, and as Matthew said, they operate on a different moral code. They'll do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if it hurts the ones they consider their friends. Because to them, the end justifies the means, and they're also incapable of feeling guilt.**

 **There's an Italian-themed restaurant in South Africa (my favourite restaurant, actually), and they have a lot of pizzas on the menu. You can actually order for takeaway, and if you order pizza and require a doggy bag they'll give it in a pizza box.**


	33. Chapter 32

**Thanks to Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Shattering Colors, Kattie, Zaaze, ScandinavianTrash, Alllans and RinKagamine002 for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 32**

Ian sighed.

"Do you know whether they'd be capable of going through with that threat?" Ian asked.

"Considering the fact that Matthew made the decision to kill his brother, I think that's a _very_ strong possibility," Arthur said.

"And Matthew's the most compassionate out of those three," Alice said.

"What would he consider interfering?" Patrick asked.

"Telling _us_ , for example," Will sighed.

"What?!"

"Will told me that I should," Arthur sighed. "We're all well-versed in magic, though Peter still needs to work on it."

"And if all of us are involved, we might be able to prevent more deaths," Will said.

"You have a point," Ian sighed. "But how can we help?"

Arthur shook his head.

"I was hoping that you could tell me," Arthur said. "Lukas and I are in way over our heads."

"Do you know if Lukas was threatened as well?" Will asked.

"Yes," Arthur said. "His younger brother. He already told me that he won't get involved any farther. He won't risk Emil's life."

"Nice to see you feel the same way about us," Patrick said dryly.

"The difference is that _you_ can handle yourselves. Emil doesn't have any magical experience."

"But seriously," Patrick said. "What do we do?"

"Are you sure about Matthew and Feliks?" Ian asked, looking pointedly at Arthur.

"Matthew was the one that threatened me," Arthur said. "Complete with a new look. And when I called Vlad to warn him, Feliks was the one that answered, and he said something about Matthew telling me to stay away from Vlad."

"But are you sure he's a demon?" Alistair asked.

"There have been two deaths since we found out about what happened," Arthur said. "On the same day, before we said anything and the demonic parts of them told them what's going on, Lovino killed Antonio."

"What?" Ian asked. "Are you sure?"

"Vlad told me," Arthur said. "Lovino's demon – Decay, they call him – has the ability to turn someone to dust. It's what happened to Gilbert and Kyo as well."

Ian sighed, rubbing his face.

"And there we've solved our three missing persons' cases," Ian said. "How could they continue like that?"

"They weren't exactly aware of it until last Thursday," Arthur said. "Vlad explained that the first step was that the demon half kills someone while the human half remains unaware. The second step was that they kill someone with full awareness of what's happening, but unable to stop it. And the third step was to make a conscious decision to kill."

"Of course," Alistair said. "Because the last time, they can't blame their demonic counterparts and have they crossed the moral horizon. It's often believed that when someone makes a conscious decision, that's when they have truly earned damnation."

"What else can you tell us about the demons?" Ian asked.

"Matthew's has the ability of intangibility and invisibility," Arthur said. "Apparently, he was the one that killed Gilbert by grabbing his heart through his chest."

"You mentioned earlier that they call Lovino's 'Decay'," Alistair said. "What does that mean?"

"Each of the alter-egos have a name, and according to Vlad, they reflect the particular means of bullying of each of them. Lovino's is called 'Decay' because of his name's similarity to a word that means 'to ruin', and once _that_ came out, everyone started to say that Lovino ruins everything he does, or that someone who has bad luck had their life ruined by Lovino."

Patrick gritted his teeth.

"That's just ridiculous," Patrick said. "How could anyone believe that? And how could they just…?"

"I've been asking myself that same question for more than a week," Ian sighed.

"Matthew's is called 'Death', and I think it has something to do with the way his brother treated him like a ghost, and a lot of his friends treated him much the same," Arthur said. "I still can't believe I remained friends with that prat for so long…"

"What's done is done, and can't be undone," Will said.

"Right. Feliks's is called 'Insanity', and it has something to do with everyone calling him a 'freak', all because of his crossdressing. Though to be fair… I don't think I can imagine Feliks in anything other than feminine clothing. He'd actually make a pretty girl."

The other brothers snickered, and Alice cleared her throat.

"And Vlad's?" Alice asked.

"He's called 'Blood', due to his title of 'vampire'," Arthur said. "Some of the bullying he's suffered was vampire-related, like the dilute acid being 'holy water'."

"Dilute acid?" Patrick asked.

"Alfred Jones spilled dilute acid on Vlad on his first day," Alistair said. "In my class. He was sent to the principal's office, but I haven't heard of any punishment, to be honest. So, _that's_ what was going through his head that day."

"These were their alter-egos," Arthur said. "And Feliks and Matthew have merged with theirs, it would seem."

"How did the demons choose their victims?" Alistair asked. "Were they just going according to the bullies?"

"Vlad said that they were acting in self-defence," Arthur said. "Allen James apparently molested Feliks, and according to Feliks's demon, he was close to taking it too far."

"It was _already_ too far," Will said, looking sick.

"Matthew and Vlad were harassed by Carlos and Sadiq, and the demons decided that they didn't want any more of that. Lovino was harassed by Kyo, but he didn't elaborate on the nature of the harassment. Feliks was also accosted by three truants that they didn't know, and they were also threatening molestation. Vlad's demon set a trap for Elizaveta Herdervary when they all came to attack him at his house."

"I remember that," Ian said. "I found it a bizarre coincidence. She had an aneurysm right after they harassed him. And after what they did… If the demon was acting out of self-defence, I don't blame it."

"Was it really that bad?" Patrick asked.

"I was there," Arthur said. "It was bad. The next day, Gilbert came with a gun to kill Vlad because he blamed him for Elizaveta's death – which they had no way to prove. They just started blaming them because they were easiest to blame. Matthew killed Gilbert to protect Vlad. And then on Monday, Lovino was attacked by Antonio, and it seemed as though Antonio really wanted to kill him."

"What makes you say that?" Will asked.

"Vlad said that there were finger-shaped bruises on Lovino's throat for a while, until the demon healed them. Lovino was also pretty shaken from that experience."

"Alright then," Ian said. "Then how about the last two? They killed themselves, or that's what it looks like."

"I'm not completely sure _how_ ," Arthur said. "At least in Alfred's case. Vlad mentioned that Insanity had the power to force people to kill themselves. I think Feliks was the one that killed Toris, since _he's_ the one with a history with him."

"And for someone named 'Death'…" Will mused. "It shouldn't be too much of a stretch to believe that he had the power to manipulate someone's death."

"Alright, so we know what they're capable of," Alistair said. "How do we stop them?"

"The book says that each demon transformation is different, and the qualities of each demon differs as well," Arthur said.

"And since they're new, it's possible that _they_ don't even know what their weaknesses are," Alice said. "And I doubt religious artefacts would affect them after their transformations."

"Lovino's the only religious one anyway," Arthur said. "And I don't think he's a demon yet."

"Perhaps we shouldn't focus on how to stop them," Ian said. "We should instead focus on how to prevent more of them."

"They just need to stop from killing, don't they?" Patrick asked.

"Apparently it's not that simple," Alice said. "The poor boys have been pushed to the edge. If they feel that they have a way to permanently end it, I'm afraid they will take it."

"And it just takes one moment," Arthur said. "When Matthew threatened me earlier, he said that the reason why he could make the choice to kill Alfred was because Alfred basically told him that it didn't matter whether he lived or died. And I might get frustrated with you, but I would never have those sentiments towards you."

"Nice to hear that," Will said, ruffling Arthur's hair.

"To think that Matthew's brother would say something like that," Ian said. "And that Matthew would retaliate like that. But what about Toris? Why kill him?"

Arthur shook his head.

"I have no idea what happened that would make Toris Feliks's target," Arthur said. "But we would need to make sure that Lovino and Vlad don't end up in a situation where they feel the need to kill someone."

"How do we do that?" Alistair asked. "Isolate them?"

The room was silent for a while as they thought about it.

"It's not a bad idea," Alice said. "At least until we can find a permanent solution. Because I don't think we could keep them isolated for the rest of their lives."

"It would certainly be cruel to do that," Ian said. "Not to mention the fact that the other two might go to extreme lengths to retrieve their friends."

"And we aren't even sure if Lovino didn't kill anyone else," Patrick said. "You said that his demon can turn someone to dust."

"You're right," Alistair said. "We need to make sure that he's not also a demon."

"Lukas and I have worked on a demon-detector," Arthur said. "There's currently one with Vlad, and another with Lukas."

"But _you_ don't have one," Patrick said.

"It's not a spell that's mass-production friendly," Arthur sighed. "Unfortunately. I'm already busy with another, but it might take a while. We can get the one from Lukas. He doesn't want to be involved anymore, and I'm sure that he would be willing to give up his stone."

"Stone?" Will asked.

"We used gemstones for the spell."

"Doesn't matter," Ian said. "I suggest, before we go out tomorrow, we put some spells in place for our protection. And Peter's."

"We at least need to tell him what's going on," Alice said. "We don't want him to do something reckless."

"I'll explain it to him," Arthur said.

"And the three of us will work on general demon-repellents," Alistair said, indicating himself, Patrick and Will.

"I'll also see if I have any herbs that could help," Alice said.

"And let's hope that we're doing the right thing," Ian said.

…

Feliks looked over towards Vlad, chewing on a pizza. He didn't need to eat, but he needed to pretend that everything was still normal. And he couldn't just throw it away. He didn't quite know what happened to the food he ate, but he knew that he didn't have to worry about it.

Vlad was still asleep, and it looked as though he was suffering from nightmares. He wouldn't have any memory of the nightmares when he awoke, but it would be easy to convince him that he was sick, given how he would feel when he woke up.

The nightmares were the result of Vlad's memories being erased and rewritten. Feliks had to remove most of the conversations with Lukas and Arthur regarding their transformation. He didn't remove the memory of the impending threat, but all he could remember about his conversations with Lukas and Arthur were when they first revealed what was happening to them, and when the two of them reacted to Vlad with fear. So even now, he would only remember the hurt he felt that they didn't trust him.

The memories of the conversations were replaced with others. They were some of Feliks's own memories of him, Matthew and Lovino spending time together. He just manipulated them to be from another perspective, and to make Vlad believe that the other perspective was his.

And Feliks had to marvel at the ease with which he accomplished this task. He knew that if a sorcerer attempted this, it would be considered extremely difficult and complicated. It was the difference in power between sorcerers and demons.

And he still didn't know what his limits were. He knew that he would probably have limits. Like the fact that he couldn't open any of the windows, and he had to use some of Vlad's blood to open the front door.

He would actually need to think of a good excuse for that one.

He had plenty of time to figure out what he could do. He already had an idea of _some_ of the things. The human mind was his domain, after all. And he intended to use it as much as possible.

And Matthew was like the angel – or rather, _demon_ – of death. He could decide when, where and how someone died. And he already revealed that he could turn himself invisible and intangible. And he could communicate with his victims. Like Alfred.

And as for Lukas and Arthur… He would need to see if he could see what they were doing, and whether or not they were heeding their warnings. That would take a lot of focus from his side.

…

Lukas went into Emil's room. It was very late, and Emil was already asleep.

They were only half-brothers, but Lukas would protect Emil with his life. And it seemed as though _his_ life wasn't the one on the line. Matthew didn't care about his life. He would kill Emil, and it would be Lukas's fault.

He couldn't do anything to stop them. They were teenagers. They had only fairly recently started with the heavier magic. _Demons_ were way out of their league.

He didn't have the power or capacity to pick a fight with them. So whatever it was that they wanted, he would not interfere. He would protect his little brother.

He would already most likely lose his cousin. He couldn't afford his brother too.

…

The next morning found the Kirkland family in front of Lukas's house. Alice and Ian had each driven their own cars. After retrieving the stone from Lukas, the six Kirklands would separate, one group going to Lovino's house, while the other group went to Vlad's house.

Arthur knocked on the door, and it didn't take long for Lukas to answer. The Norwegian's eyes widened, before they narrowed.

"I'm not getting involved," Lukas said, starting to close the door.

"We need the stone," Arthur said. "We need to make sure of something."

Lukas shook his head.

"I can't interfere," Lukas said. "I won't put Emil's life in danger."

Arthur nodded his head.

"I understand," Arthur said. "I got the same warning. But where is the stone?"

"Why?" Lukas asked.

"Well, it can't be called 'interfering' if we steal it."

Lukas stared at Arthur for a moment, before he put his hand in his pocket. Arthur nodded his head.

"I'm sorry about this," Arthur said.

Before Lukas could ask what he meant, Arthur's fist connected with his nose. Lukas yelped in pain, clutching his nose with both hands, and Arthur reached into Lukas's pocket, his fingers wrapping around the familiar stone.

"Thank you very much," Arthur said.

"Fuck you," Lukas said, and Arthur could see that his nose had started to bleed.

Arthur winced, before he went to his father's car. Ian looked at Arthur disapprovingly, while Patrick and Alistair looked as though they were immensely enjoying themselves.

"Looks like there's hope for him after all," Alistair said.

Arthur rolled his eyes, before he handed the stone to Ian. The older male pursed his lips.

"We'll talk about your methods later," Ian said.

Arthur didn't respond, and instead went to Alice's car. She also looked a little annoyed, and Will didn't look as though he was enjoying it as much as the other two brothers did. Arthur climbed into the backseat, and Alice remained silent as she started to drive away.

…

Ian, along with Patrick and Alistair, arrived in front of the Vargas residence. Ian held the stone in his hand. Arthur had already explained how it worked. The stone remained cold. It meant that Lovino _wasn't_ a demon.

And they would make sure that it stayed that way.

Ian knocked on the door, and it wasn't too long until someone opened. It looked like the youngest Vargas brother.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"Is Lovino here?" Ian asked.

Marcello Vargas looked between the three Kirklands before he nodded his head, stepping aside to allow them entry.

"Nonno and Feliciano are at the restaurant," Marcello said. "Lovino's still off sick, even though he's feeling better."

"Makes sense that your grandpa would be cautious, considering you have a restaurant," Alistair said.

"What's going on?"

They turned to see Lovino standing near the archway, looking worriedly at Ian.

"Lovino," Ian said. "We need you to come with us."

Lovino took a nervous step back.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Marcello, do you mind giving us a moment?" Alistair asked.

Marcello looked nervously between them before glancing towards Lovino. Lovino sighed, closing his eyes, and Marcello took it as the sign to leave. Lovino opened his eyes, focusing on Ian.

"Why do I need to go?" Lovino asked.

"We know what's happening to you," Patrick said. "We know about Decay."

Lovino's eyes widened, before they narrowed.

"Eyebrow Bastard," he muttered.

"Matthew killed Alfred," Alistair said. "And Feliks killed Toris."

"W-what?" Lovino asked, eyes widening again.

"Both Matthew and Feliks are demons now," Ian said.

"No," Lovino said, shaking his head. "They can't be. You're lying."

"Lovino, we need to get you to a safe place," Alistair said. "Before you complete the transformation too."

Lovino kept shaking his head, and Patrick tried to take a step closer. Lovino gasped, before the three Kirklands found themselves tossed away by an invisible force, while every breakable object in the vicinity broke.

Lovino was gasping for breath, panic setting in.

"Fratello?"

Lovino turned to see Marcello, who looked at him with wide eyes.

"What's going on?" Marcello asked, and everyone could hear the fear in his voice.

Lovino shook his head, before he stormed out of the house.


	34. Chapter 33

**Thanks to Shattering Colors, Zaaze, Tossing-stone, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Alllans, ScandinavianTrash, Little Bird 8060 and RinKagamine002 for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 33**

Lovino kept running. He didn't know where he was going, but the overwhelming need to escape coursed through his veins.

It couldn't be true. Matthew and Feliks weren't murderers. They wouldn't kill anyone of their own volition. They wouldn't purposely decide to become demons.

They were wrong. Those Kirklands… They didn't know _anything_ about his friends. Arthur must have told them about the transformations, and they immediately thought the worst. They were…

They were probably thinking of locking Lovino away, so that he wouldn't kill anyone. And they were lying about his friends so that he'd trust them.

But then… why didn't they say anything about Vlad?

Could it be that Arthur really _was_ trying to take Vlad away? And that he was trying to get Lovino, Feliks and Matthew out of the way to achieve that?

Lovino shook his head, trying to clear it of those thoughts, but then something else took control.

Marcello… How much did he hear? It was possible that Marcello had been eavesdropping, for he was there pretty fast. And as for what he _saw_ …

Lovino knew that he was the one that had unleashed that force. And if Marcello _saw_ it… That look that Marcello had given him. He didn't want his brother to look at him like that.

But if Marcello _knew_ … Lovino couldn't take it. To think that his brother might be afraid of him… And it would be the same way Feliciano and Romulus would look at them. Romulus might try to take him for an exorcism, or something. And it wouldn't work, and Lovino would…

He yelped as a sharp pain stung his calf, and he fell to the ground. He turned back to look at his leg, and he paled when he saw a knife lodged there. Only one person could be capable of that…

"Oh, you hit him."

Lovino looked up with wide eyes, seeing Ivan and Natalia approaching him. Ivan was the one that had spoken, and Natalia had thrown the knife.

Lovino tried to stand, but the knife in his leg caused pain to course through his body. He quickly tried to remove it, but in that time Natalia reached him, being faster than her brother. She pushed him to the ground and yanked the knife out, before she pressed it against Lovino's throat.

Lovino could feel the sharpness of the blade and the wetness of his blood, but he couldn't put much more thought in it. Ivan was looming over him as well now.

"Well, it's quite a surprise to see _you_ here," Ivan said. "But now we can play."

Lovino frantically looked around, hoping that someone was nearby. Preferably Ms Braginskaya. Hopefully, _she_ could control the two psychos.

Natalia noticed the frantic search with his eyes, and she gave a nasty grin.

"Katyusha needed to go to a meeting," Natalia said. "And everyone else went to the mall, or they're too scared to stop us. No one will interfere."

…

Vlad was eating the cold pizza, feeling completely drained. He didn't feel nauseous or anything, but his head felt… empty, and his face felt as though all of the blood had been drained. He didn't have much of an appetite, but Feliks had insisted that he eat something.

Vlad couldn't help but notice that _something_ was amiss. There was nothing bad in particular that had happened the last few days, other than the news arriving that they were turning into demons. And then there was Alfred's suicide, with them trying to cheer Matthew up after his brother died.

But… _something_ was amiss.

Also, when he tried to recall the previous days' events, he kept getting a headache, so he decided to ignore it for the present and just focus on getting better.

He winced when someone knocked on the door, and he saw as Feliks made a beeline for it.

"Wait," Vlad said. "The door's enchanted. Only I can open it."

There was something nagging at him when he said that, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. But he made his way towards the door, and he opened it to see Arthur, Alice and a young man who slightly resembled them.

"Arthur?" Vlad asked. "What are you doing here?"

"You need to come with us," Arthur said.

Vlad frowned in confusion, before his eyes focused on the man he didn't know.

"Who's this?" Vlad asked.

"My brother, Will," Arthur explained. "Remember what we've discussed yesterday?"

"Yesterday? I didn't discuss anything with you. I didn't even _see_ you."

Arthur stared at him blankly before his eyes widened. Vlad sensed movement behind him and turned around to see Feliks, casually leaning against the wall. The Pole's expression was blank, but he was watching Arthur.

"Yesterday you told us that a few years ago, you were attacked by a demon," Arthur said. "And that the demon returned about a week ago. You said that it wanted to possess your body, but once it found out about your potential transformation, it decided to stick around, since it finds everything entertaining."

Vlad stared at Arthur. He had no memory of telling Arthur something like that, but it was true. It was what Vlad knew to be the truth. But then…?

"Yesterday, we discussed the possibility of one of your friends being responsible for Alfred's death," Arthur said. "And afterwards, another corpse was found. Toris Laurinaitis, who has a history with Feliks. You said you didn't want to accept the possibility. But Feliks killed Toris."

"Like, that's a lie!" Feliks shouted. "Like, I would totally never do something like that! How can you say such things?!"

"If you don't believe me," Arthur said, "then fetch the stone."

"What stone?" Vlad asked.

Arthur's eyes widened, before he turned his attention to Feliks.

"What did you do to him?" Arthur demanded.

"Like, I didn't do anything!" Feliks shouted. "Stop lying!"

Vlad had to think. He knew that he should know what Arthur was referring to, but for some reason, he couldn't think of anything that made sense. And when he tried, his head started hurting again, and his stomach twisted. Perhaps he shouldn't have eaten that…

His thoughts came to a screeching stop. He looked towards the doorknob, ignoring Feliks and Arthur's argument. Only he could open the door. But then…

"Feliks," Vlad said, interrupting the two. "Lovino stopped by last night to deliver the pizzas, right? But… The doors and windows are enchanted so that only _I_ can open them." He turned to Feliks. "How did you get the pizzas?"

Feliks's eyes widened. Behind him, Vlad heard someone sigh.

"Perhaps _I_ can show you the truth."

Vlad turned to see that Will was the one that spoke, and he threw a bottle at Feliks, muttering a spell that Vlad recognised, which was supposed to reveal something's true form. The bottle collided with Feliks, who screamed as his appearance suddenly changed. And once the appearance changed, Vlad could sense the presence of a demon.

Feliks snarled, focusing his red eyes on the four at the door. Vlad yelped when he was suddenly pulled outside before the door slammed closed. The door shook in its frame when Feliks apparently collided with it, and Vlad gasped in shock.

"Will he be able to open it at all?" Alice asked, and Vlad shook his head.

"He shouldn't be able to go in or out of the doors," Vlad said. "But if he can teleport…"

"Then we need to get out of here _now_ ," Will said.

Vlad was pulled towards the car, and he was just pushed in the backseat alongside Arthur when Feliks appeared on the car's bonnet, leering in at them. His eyes were fixed on Arthur, though.

"We already told you not to interfere," Feliks said. "You didn't heed our warning."

"Drive!" Arthur shouted, and Alice tried to start the car, though it wouldn't take.

Feliks smirked, before he lifted his head, almost as though he heard something. And then the smirk widened.

In that moment, he truly lived up to the name 'Insanity'.

"You're late," Feliks said, before he lowered his head. "Now, Arthur. You still need to be punished."

Feliks glanced towards Will, who had been muttering a spell. Feliks's smirk fell, replaced by a snarl, before he suddenly disappeared in a burst of flames.

They all gasped in surprise when the car suddenly started, and Will slumped in his seat in pure relief.

"What was the spell you used?" Alice asked.

"It's to chase away a demon, but only temporary," Will said. "He can't come near us for the next hour, but he _can_ come back."

"Hopefully we'll be in a safe place by then," Arthur said.

"Please tell me you _have_ such a place," Vlad said, his heart hammering in his chest.

"We fortified our house against all sorts of demons," Arthur said. "Let's just hope it works."

"Don't say _that_!"

…

Mathias walked into Lukas's house, as he usually did. He wanted to see his cousins.

He listened for a moment, trying to figure out where either Lukas or Emil would be, and followed the voices. He found the two in the bathroom, with Lukas pressing his hand against his nose.

"What happened to you?" Mathias asked worriedly, preparing to go after whoever had punched Lukas, since it was obvious that the other had a bloody nose.

"Long story," Lukas said dismissively. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Can't I come visit my two favourite cousins?"

Lukas's expression darkened, and Mathias instinctively took a step back.

"I want you to leave," Lukas said. "And stay away from us."

"Huh?" Mathias asked, surprised. "What did I do?"

"You know full well!" Lukas snapped. "You, and Alfred, and Sadik, and Allen… _all_ of you!"

"…Are you talking about those four freaks…?"

Mathias yelped when he was pinned against the nearby wall, stormy blue eyes looking up at him.

"Do you have any idea what you've _done_?" Lukas asked. "Because of you and your friends, multiple lives have been lost. Some of them are dead, but the others… they're _worse_ than dead. What were you _thinking_? Did you think that it was all fun and games? That what you were doing was harmless? You _destroyed_ their lives!"

"I don't get why you're so hung up over them," Mathias said, frowning at Lukas.

Lukas shook his head.

"Forget it," he said. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. But I hope that you remember that you brought this on yourself. Now, _get out_."

Mathias yelped when Lukas started dragging him out of the house, and he was literally _thrown out._ Mathias glared at Lukas as he slammed the door, but he wasn't exactly angry. Rather, he was… afraid. Because he could see that _Lukas_ was also afraid. But of what?

Thinking about it for a moment, he tried to recall what Lukas had said. But the more he thought about it, the less it made sense. Sure, he got the message that he had ruined their lives, and that he was a jerk. But what did Lukas mean when he said that because of him and his friends, multiple lives had been lost? And what did he mean when he said 'worse than dead'?

And the deaths… How was it Mathias's fault? Were they right? Were those four really responsible for those deaths? Or… was there something else?

Mathias stood there for a few moments before he decided on a course of action. Sighing, he started to walk away.

…

Francis smiled as he pulled into Vlad's driveway. He had brought him another plate with snacks, to be shared with his three friends.

He knew that it wasn't enough to earn their forgiveness, but he wanted to show them that he truly regretted his actions, and was willing to do anything to make it up to them.

And providing food to someone living alone was always appreciated.

He knocked on the door, but after a few minutes with occasional knocking and no one answering, Francis concluded that Vlad wasn't there. He frowned. Vlad didn't have a car, so it was hard to tell whether or not he was there.

Francis turned around and nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't heard anyone approach behind him.

He thought at first that it was a pretty, though scary, blonde girl. Perhaps a relative of Vlad, going by the red eyes. But then the person smirked, and Francis felt a primal fear take hold of him.

"Like, hello Francis."

…

Lovino grunted in pain when another punch hit his cheek. Natalia had moved from her position straddling his waist, only to allow Ivan access. But Natalia was still nearby, doing something with his feet.

"You caused a lot of trouble," Ivan said. "Katyusha is in trouble with the school board, because they blame her for not 'controlling' us. But she wouldn't have gotten in trouble if you had only kept quiet. You shouldn't have gotten the police involved."

"None of this would have happened if you had just left us alone," Lovino spat, glaring at Ivan.

He was rewarded with another punch, this time against his jaw. He also screamed in pain when he felt a stabbing pain in the sole of his foot, and knew that it was because Natalia had _actually_ stabbed him.

Lovino choked on the scream. Blood was filling his mouth, slowly trickling down his throat. He couldn't identify the source of the blood. Was it a tooth that came loose? Did he bite his lip? He couldn't tell. His jaw hurt too much.

"You should learn to keep your mouth shut," Ivan said, smiling creepily.

Ivan wrapped one of his hands around Lovino's throat. Only one hand was necessary. Lovino gasped, trying to get in enough air.

" _You know how you can escape."_

It had been a while since he'd heard from Decay. And at that moment, Decay was the one who was _there_ for him. If anyone was still in their houses, and they _let_ this happen…

Because Lovino wasn't exactly being quiet in his torment.

"Maybe it would be better if you just disappeared?" Ivan asked cheerfully.

Lovino closed his eyes. He would be killed by these two psychos. And no one would say anything. They would probably get rid of his body, and no one would testify against either Ivan or Natalia.

And it wasn't as though anyone would mourn them, except perhaps Katyusha.

Lovino opened his eyes and glared at Ivan.

"Fuck it," Lovino gasped, feeling the power surge through him. "You know, you're not the first bastard that did this to me this week."

Ivan frowned, before his eyes widened and he jumped back, releasing Lovino's throat. Lovino gasped for breath, finally allowed to take some in.

"What's wrong?" Natalia asked worriedly.

"My hand…" Ivan said, before his eyes widened again.

Natalia gasped in shock and horror. Ivan's hand…

Anyone who had seen a vampire movie would recognise the scene. Ivan's hand was disintegrating, turning into dust, and it spread upwards, running up his arm.

"What's happening?" Ivan asked, looking panicked. "It hurts!"

Lovino chuckled, and the two siblings turned to him.

"Ashes to ashes, you fucker," Lovino said. "The Tomato Bastard also tried to strangle me. He's nothing but dust."

"What?" Ivan asked.

"How?!" Natalia snapped.

"This is what _you've_ done to us," Lovino said coldly. "You bastards destroyed us. Now it's time to return the favour."

Ivan quickly stood, attempting to move away, but he let out a choking sound as he froze. His body became a collection of dust in his shape, before it collapsed.

Natalia tried to scramble away, but standing behind her was a figure that _looked_ like Matthew, only twisted in a way. He grinned.

"You're not going anywhere," Matthew said.

Matthew's hand shot out, going through Natalia's chest. She let out a choking sound, before she slumped to the ground, dead. Matthew had attacked her heart.

Matthew looked towards Natalia's corpse before he looked up to regard Lovino, who was still sitting on the ground, propped up with one hand as the other gripped his head. He felt as though he was burning from the inside out.

"You could have stopped them," Lovino said accusingly, though without anger.

"You'll understand that we want you and Vlad to join us," Matthew said, smiling. His smile wasn't particularly kind, like it used to be, and instead radiated confidence. "Now it's just Vlad who's left."

Lovino whimpered, clutching his head.

"Your body's adjusting to the change," Matthew said. "It will end soon enough. After this pain, you'll never experience pain again. But in the meantime…"

Matthew glanced around at all the houses, a disgusted look on his face.

"Filthy cowards," Matthew said. "Or perhaps they don't care. But it doesn't matter." Matthew smirked. "Ever heard that anecdote about the Nazis?"

Lovino grunted, indicating the negative.

"'When the Nazis went after the Jews, I did nothing, for I'm not a Jew'," Matthew quoted. "'Then they went after the homosexuals. I did nothing, for I'm not a homosexual. They then went after the gypsies. I did nothing, for I am not a gypsy. And then they came for me, and there was no one left to do anything.' I think it's time for these 'Nazis' to go after filthy cowards."

Lovino didn't know what Matthew meant, but he felt a wave of power wash over him, and he instinctively knew that Matthew had used his power to kill everyone in the surrounding area. Everyone that _could_ have helped, but who did nothing.

Matthew then turned to Lovino, and the two remained silent. After several minutes Lovino felt the pain subside, and he could also feel his very personality change. He became more confident. More… powerful. He turned to Matthew and smirked.

"I understand now," Lovino said. "Why you didn't interfere. We're alone among these… pests. We need to do whatever it takes to get others."

"And to stay together," Matthew said.

Feliks teleported next to them, and he turned to appraise Lovino.

"Welcome to the club," Feliks said.

"Grazie," Lovino said. "But we still need one more member…"

 **I might have gotten that anecdote wrong, but the general idea is still there. It's the same with bullying. You don't speak up if you're not affected, but expect someone to help you if you** _ **are**_ **affected.**

 **Yeah, I watched quite a lot of vampire movies. I developed an obsession** _ **way**_ **before Twilight. Like, about seventeen years ago (and suddenly I feel very old…) – I was seven, and I liked the** _ **horror**_ **vampires. Anyway, to understand how Ivan looked like in his final moments… Think Claudia of Interview with a Vampire. Of course he didn't** _ **burn**_ **, but it's the same mental image as the vampires turning into dust.**

 **And yet again, Lovino kills in order to save his own life.**


	35. Chapter 34

**Thanks to Lovino, Shattering Colors, Zaaze, casualty the facts, RinKagamine002, ScandinavianTrash and Alllans for reviewing. We've reached 300 reviews.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 34**

"What is going on with my fratello?" Marcello demanded.

Patrick sighed. He had been left alone with Marcello, and the Italian demanded an explanation for what had happened earlier. He had stopped them when they were about to chase after Lovino, and seeing as Marcello wouldn't let them go until he was given an answer, they had left Patrick there to try to explain as best as possible.

The only problem was, Patrick had no idea how to say it.

He was aware of the fact that Lovino _might_ not complete the transformation, and if they managed to find a way to permanently stop this, Lovino would have to live with his family again. And a shadow would loom over their heads. The transformation wouldn't be easily forgotten. And since the family was Catholic, he knew what the worst-case scenario would be.

"Your brother is very sick," Patrick said. "We need to get him special treatment."

"I don't believe you," Marcello said. "Being sick doesn't make everything around you explode!"

Patrick flinched. How much did the boy see? Marcello stared at him for a moment before he sighed.

"I heard everything," Marcello said. "I heard you said that Matteo and Feliks killed people. And I heard something about a transformation. Please… tell me what's happening."

Patrick stared at the younger male for a while before he sighed, gesturing to the living room. Marcello understood, and he led the way, taking a seat on the sofa while Patrick sat on the armchair.

"You know about the bullying Lovino goes through, right?" Patrick asked.

"Of course," Marcello said.

"Well… it triggered something. It attracted dark forces towards your brother. And it's making him turn into a demon."

Marcello inhaled sharply, and Patrick decided to continue.

"We're trying to stop this from happening," Patrick said. "We're trying to prevent more deaths."

"Deaths?" Marcello asked, before his eyes widened. "A-are you telling me that L-Lovino is responsible for…"

"Some of them, yes," Patrick said.

Marcello shook his head.

"No," he said. "I don't believe you. It's impossible! Lovino can't…"

Patrick sighed. He knew that it would be impossible for someone to believe that his brother was capable of something like that. But he needed Marcello to understand that it wasn't Lovino's fault. And that there was a chance that they might be able to undo it.

Of course, he wouldn't mention that they were unsure if there _was_ a way to undo it.

…

"How could we lose him?" Alistair asked.

"We need to find him soon," Ian said.

"You act as though you're _expecting_ him to go and murder someone."

"I'm just thinking of the possibility. There's still…"

Ian slammed on the brake, and Alistair followed his father's gaze to see _why_. He widened his eyes when he saw what Ian saw.

Three figures were standing next to a motionless form. While they _looked_ human enough, the two could sense that they were demons. Even Ian, who only had a small amount of magic to begin with.

One of the figures suddenly changed in appearance, before the three turned towards their direction, as though sensing that they were being watched. And in the next instant, the three were around the car, one blocking each of the front doors while the third was crouched on the car's bonnet.

The one that was crouched in front of them was Lovino, and they could see the changes had taken effect. His skin was a lot paler than it used to be, and his hair was much darker and longer, though tied in a ponytail. He wore a green suit with a black undershirt and lacking a tie, and with the fedora he brought the image of the mafia to mind. With formal black shoes, one couldn't say that there was anything _wrong_ with him, if it weren't for his red eyes and red markings that looked like cracks on the left side of his face, going down his neck and disappearing beneath his clothes.

"Too late," Lovino said. "Always too late."

"We warned Arthur not to interfere," Feliks said. "Looks like he didn't listen. We need to punish him."

Ian quickly put the car in reverse and tried to reverse out of there, and while Feliks and Matthew stayed behind, Lovino remained in his position. This frightened the two Kirklands quite a bit.

"You didn't interfere when it would have mattered," Lovino said. "I say that deserves a bit of a warning."

They didn't understand what he meant, at least until Alistair started screaming in pain. Ian chanced a quick glance, but he could see nothing wrong.

"And on that note," Lovino said, "you can start calling me 'Rovino'."

He jumped off of the car, and Ian finally turned the car around in order to properly drive away, and they made their way back to Lovino's house. They would need to retrieve Patrick, and it wouldn't be a bad idea to fortify the house. They didn't know what 'Rovino' would be willing to do to his family.

After a while Alistair stopped screaming, though he was crying in pain. Ian hadn't seen his son cry like that in a _long_ time.

"What did he do?" Ian asked.

Alistair didn't answer, but he let a choked sound escape his throat, looking away from Ian. He was looking in the mirror.

They arrived soon enough, and as soon as the car had stopped he turned to Alistair.

"What's wrong?" Ian asked.

Alistair sobbed, before he turned to face Ian. Ian gasped in surprise.

The right side of Alistair's face looked as though it had started to decompose. The skin was leathery and a greyish colour, and in some places the skin had peeled away, revealing the rotting flesh underneath.

"My god," Ian whispered.

"I guess this is the power of Decay," Alistair said. "Of Rovino."

Ian glanced to the front door, seeing Patrick and Marcello leaving the house. Ian sighed, before getting out of the car.

"Well?" Patrick asked.

"We were too late," Ian said. "Lovino has changed."

"No," Marcello said, shaking his head. "It's impossible."

"He knows?" Ian asked Patrick.

"I had to tell him," Patrick said.

"Lovino wouldn't kill anyone," Marcello said. "And this whole transformation thing…"

"If you don't believe us about the transformation," Ian said, "just look at Alistair."

Marcello frowned, before comprehending that it was his Chemistry teacher. He looked inside the car and gasped in horror, hand making its way to his mouth. Patrick cried out.

"L-Lovino did _that_?" Marcello asked.

"Unfortunately," Ian said. "We need to fortify this house."

"Why?"

"Because demons are immoral. There's no telling what he'd be willing to do to _you_."

…

Vlad was quiet during the car ride, and none of the Kirklands knew what to say. Arthur was fuming in rage, while his mother and brother were a little shaken after their encounter with the demonic Feliks.

Arthur was angry that Feliks had apparently tampered with Vlad's memories. It was a violation of the mind, one of the most precious things belonging to a person. The fact that Feliks was willing to do something like that showed how corrupt he's become, and how corrupt they _could_ become.

Like Matthew threatening Arthur's family.

He felt guilty that he might have placed them in harm's way, but Will had encouraged him, and they didn't seem to blame him. There was a possibility that they would suffer regardless if the transformations were complete. Demons weren't famous for keeping their promises, unless there was a contract involved. And even then, they might twist the terms of the contract around.

The car came to a stop, and Alice sighed, before turning towards Vlad.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Vlad shrugged wordlessly, and Arthur decided that it was time to speak up.

"His memories have been altered," Arthur said. "I think it best that we should restore them."

Vlad tensed, before he turned to regard Arthur. Arthur firmly stared at him.

"You need to restore your memories," Arthur said. "It's not safe to let them remain."

"I know," Vlad said. "I just… I can't believe that Feliks…"

"Feliks _and_ Matthew. My father and other two elder brothers are fetching Lovino."

Vlad shook his head.

"It's too late for Lovino," Vlad said. "Blood just told me. Lovino didn't want to accept what your father and brothers had to say about Matthew and Feliks, so he stormed out of the house. After some time, he ran into Ivan and Natalia, who were torturing him."

"It's still not grounds for killing someone," Will said.

"Every time Lovino's killed, it was out of self-defence," Vlad said. "This time was no different. Ivan was strangling him, and he was losing blood from the places where Natalia stabbed him."

"All of this is what Blood told you?" Arthur asked, horrified.

"Da."

"What else does Blood tell you?" Will asked.

"He's not trying to influence me or anything. Regardless of whether or not I complete the transformation, he'll stay. He was born of my subconscious, after all."

"Can't we get rid of him?" Alice asked.

"No," Arthur said. "Not without causing serious damage to Vlad. Trying to get rid of a part of the mind has serious consequences."

"He's right," Will said.

"Alright," Alice said. "What about suppressing him?"

"That would only make me stop hearing him," Vlad said. "It won't stop the transformation."

Will sighed.

"We're _way_ out of our league," he said.

…

Ian and Patrick were working on fortifying the Vargas residence against demons. Alistair was in too much shock over what had been done to him to be able to be of help, and Marcello had no magical experience, and was also freaked out about what had apparently happened to his brother. He still didn't want to accept it, though.

Patrick was the one who noticed someone walking closer, and he scowled when he saw the other.

"Hey," Mathias said, out of breath. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," Patrick said coldly.

"I came to see Lovino," Mathias explained. "I wanted to ask him something."

"Well, he's not here," Patrick snapped. "So, you can leave now."

Mathias groaned, before dropping to the ground.

"Oh, come on!" he exclaimed. "I already went to Vlad and Feliks's houses. No one's there. I don't want to walk anymore."

Patrick's scowl deepened.

"What did you want to 'ask' him?" Patrick asked.

"Well, Lukas said some pretty bizarre things," Mathias said. "I just wanted to know what he meant."

"And what makes you think that Lovino would know the answers?"

"It's just… some of the things Lukas said. Like… he asked me if it was all 'fun and games', and he said something along the lines of 'worse than dead'. And he referred to them, so…"

"And what did you think they would say?" Patrick asked harshly. "'Yes, you destroyed our lives, and now we're suffering a fate worse than death and became something less than human'?"

"Um…" Mathias said, looking at him with puzzled expression. "What do you mean, 'less than human'?"

"You better hope you don't find out. Now, get out of here."

"Wait, you didn't tell me why _you_ …"

"Because I'm trying to clean up _your_ mess!" Patrick snapped. "If I were you, I'd leave town right away. Thanks to you and your buddies, we have to deal with a giant _mess_."

"What mess?"

"You better hope you don't find out," Patrick repeated. "Now, get out of here."

Mathias made his way to his feet.

"Give me one good reason why I should do as you say," Mathias said.

Patrick raised his hand, focusing some of his magic into it, and Mathias yelped as he was suddenly suspended in the air.

"Is this a good enough reason for you?" Patrick asked.

"W-what's going on?!" Mathias demanded, frightened.

"There are forces beyond your comprehension involved," Patrick said. "And some of those forces want you dead."

"W-what? But… what did _I_ do?"

"You created them."

And Patrick allowed Mathias to fall to the ground. The Dane yelped, before fixing his gaze on Patrick.

"H-how did I create them?" Mathias asked.

"Like I said," Patrick said, "you don't want to know. Now, get out of my sight."

And this time Mathias scrambled away, afraid of what Patrick might do to him. Patrick sighed, and he turned around when he heard footsteps behind him, seeing his father.

"We should have placed a protective charm on him," Ian said.

"After what he and the others did?" Patrick asked. "Lovino was the one who hurt Alistair, but Mathias and his friends were the ones that pushed them over the edge, allowing them to do those things in the first place."

"Pat," Ian sighed. "You can't pay evil unto evil."

"I don't care," Patrick said. "If those bastards hadn't done all those things to Lovino and his friends, then they wouldn't have turned into demons, and Alistair wouldn't…"

Ian stared at Patrick for a moment before he pulled him into a hug. Patrick clutched his father's shirt.

"Do you blame _Lovino_ at all for what happened to Alistair?" Ian asked.

"Of course I do," Patrick said. "In a way. I know that it's not Lovino, but a demon that _used_ to be Lovino. He's a demon. But, those guys… they were _human_. They didn't have the excuse. Everything they did… It was their own choice. _They_ decided that they wanted to make the lives of others hell, and for what?"

"I've been asking myself that same question for more than a week."

"And do you know what's worse? The rest of us… we did _nothing_. We allowed it to continue. Some of us even found it amusing. _Funny_." Patrick swallowed thickly. " _I_ did too."

Patrick knew that what he was feeling was guilt. He was one of the many students who could have put a stop to the bullying, but didn't. In fact, he often found the things they did hilarious. But… When Arthur had explained what was happening the previous night… how the catalyst had been their feelings of anger, frustration and desperation, he realised how much damage he'd done by _not_ doing anything. If only people had stopped them earlier… If only people had spoken up… Then they wouldn't have turned into demons.

But there was still Vlad left.

"We can't let Vlad complete the transformation," Patrick said. "We need to keep him safe and happy. He's still new in town… He wouldn't be as desperate as the others."

"Perhaps," Ian said. "But he's seen some suffering as well."

…

"This is your room," Arthur said. "I hope you don't mind."

Vlad didn't bother to look around. The room was sparsely decorated, and instead of a bed, they had a couch. This was obviously not originally meant to be a bedroom.

"Right," Arthur said awkwardly. "We'll turn this into a proper room in no time. There are wards all over the house, which means that they can't reach you."

"But I'm a prisoner now," Vlad said.

"Don't think of it that way. You're here for your protection."

"No. Not _my_ protection. Mathias is the last of the bullies – you're doing it for _his_ protection."

"We're doing it for _everyone's_ protection. As demons, you wouldn't stop at killing all of your bullies. Innocents had died as well."

"Name one."

"Toris! Toris Laurinaitis! His only crime was that he allowed Ivan to manipulate him into hurting Feliks."

Vlad bit his lip and averted his eyes. Arthur sighed.

"Rest now," Arthur said. "We'll work on restoring your lost memories later."

"What if I don't want them back?" Vlad asked.

"Vlad, you can't allow them to…"

"No, Arthur," Vlad said, looking at the other with a hurt expression. "They were there for me since the beginning. When we weren't watching movies together, or hanging out at the mall, or… or whenever we were having fun, we would comfort each other. In spite of their own hardships, they went out of their way to make me feel better about everything. Are you trying to tell me that _those_ memories are fake?"

Arthur swallowed thickly.

"…I don't think _those_ memories were tampered with," Arthur said. "I've seen you four together. I wish that I could have had friends like that."

"But how much of what I remember were lies?" Vlad asked. "How many of them fill the gap? What if they're gone and… And I've been alone all this time?"

"I can tell you now that you were never alone," Arthur said.

Vlad shook his head.

"I _do_ have a memory of you and Lukas," Vlad said. "You were afraid of me. That hasn't changed. I find it hard to trust you. I saw what Feliks became, but… I know that he wouldn't hurt me. You… You and your family are afraid that I might do something. That's why you're keeping me here."

Arthur remained silent, and Vlad gave a bitter laugh.

"I know what you would do if you feel that there's no other way," Vlad said. "You'd do anything to prevent more demons."

"Vlad…"

"No, Arthur. I come from a magical family as well. I know how things work." He took a deep breath. "If you feel like there's no other way, then you're going to kill me. And my survival instincts would force me to kill whoever tries to do something to me."

"I promise you, that _won't_ happen."

" _You_ might promise that. But what about the rest of your family? And I know that suicide isn't an option."

"Of course it isn't," Arthur said. "We'll find a way to stop this, _without_ resorting to drastic measures. And I… I don't want you to die. You shouldn't think that…"

"I think you misunderstood me," Vlad interrupted. "When I said that suicide isn't an option. Not if I want to stop any deaths. You see, Arthur… Suicide counts as a conscious decision to kill. After all, you kill yourself."

 **Rovino was chosen for multiple reasons. It's the actual word that Lovino's name comes from. I looked it up, and it means 'I ruin' in Italian. It also follows the theme of combining their names with a word in their languages that is associated with their demon alter-egos. And also:** **Ro** **mano, L** **ovino** **. This was just too perfect.**

 **And Blood's been giving Vlad all of his information. He's just not giving the correct memories, since Vlad himself doesn't trust him to do that.**


	36. Chapter 35

**Thanks to Shattering Colors, TwistDart, Zaaze, Tossing-stone, Olivia Kirkland, Alllans, Bibi02846 and ScandinavianTrash for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 35**

Arthur sighed as he entered the kitchen, where Alice was making lunch and Will was watching her. The two elder Kirklands turned to regard the younger.

"Vlad's asleep," Arthur said. "But he doesn't seem to want his memories restored. He's afraid of the possibility that the good memories with them were fake."

"Well, it _is_ his choice," Alice said. "We can't force him."

"Trying to force him would only cause him to distrust us," Will said. "And I get the feeling he's already lacking trust."

"It just makes me so mad," Arthur said. "If Feliks had completed the transformation… why stick around? Why alter Vlad's memories?"

"Kinship," Will said. "The four of them were bullied, weren't they? How many other friends did they have?"

Arthur flinched.

"None, to be honest," Arthur said. "Lovino had his brothers, but I don't think they were close. And Alfred, as we know, made Matthew's life miserable. And any potential friends they made… They were scared off, or decided that it wasn't worth it to be around targets. And Vlad… Asides from the three of them, he had Lukas and I, but it was mostly through the club. And after the other day, when we reacted to him in fear… I think we ruined any chances we had with him."

"I think it's not just about Vlad," Alice said. "I think that _you_ want a friend as well, and after you broke off your friendship with Jones, you've been rather lonely, haven't you?"

Arthur blinked at his mother's words and averted his eyes, nodding his head.

"Lukas was there as well," Arthur said, "but he's a loner. We're not close enough to be considered friends. But Vlad… He's friendly, he's enthusiastic, and despite the bullying, he's been looking on the bright side. I just…"

"You want to be his friend," Will said. "And there we have the problem. It comes back to what I was trying to say earlier. The other three have suffered for a long time, and the only ones that they had to comfort them was each other. Then Vlad came, and they started to make a new friend. A friend who is equally bullied, and therefore would want the support of those that were familiar with what they go through. But they still had the constant fear that they would lose that new friend. That's why they consider you a threat, isn't it? It's why they told you firstly to stay away from Vlad, and _secondly_ not to interfere."

Arthur flinched, looking away.

"Are demons even _capable_ of friendship?" Arthur asked.

"Remember, they're not just demons," Will said. "They're a trio of bullied teenagers, who've been on the receiving end of many cruel tricks, and they were desperate to make it end. Tell me, if they didn't have each other and they still had to go through all of that, what would have happened?"

"Suicide, most likely," Alice sighed. "I've seen their scars."

"Scars?" Arthur repeated.

"Lovino and Matthew have on their arms, while Feliks has on his hips."

Arthur was horrified to hear this, and Will sighed.

"When going through something like this, it's always good to know that you're not alone," Will said. "To have someone there for you to remind you that everything would be alright, and someone that knows what you're going through. It's that kinship that they're after. Vlad became a part of them as human. Now they want him as demons."

Arthur shook his head.

"And then what?" Arthur asked. "What will they do if Vlad _does_ become a demon? And what are they willing to do to achieve those goals?"

"Let's hope we never find out," Alice said. "It's going to be tricky. Demons are relentless when it comes to getting what they want."

"And we need to protect Vlad from them," Will said. "Like Arthur said, we have no idea what would happen if all four of them _do_ become demons."

…

Mathias arrived at Matthew's house, completely tired from all the walking. He really hoped that the Canadian was home, and that he would give him answers.

And water. He was really thirsty by now.

He started to knock on the door, but after the first knock the door swung open. Feeling the hair at the back of his neck stand up, Mathias decided to do what he came there to do.

"Hello?" he called out as he entered. "Is anyone here? Matt?"

The house was quiet, and Mathias swallowed nervously. Something about this just didn't seem right. He had been there many times before, visiting Alfred (and torturing Matthew), which meant the house was familiar to him, but…

It was just _wrong_.

He jumped when the door slammed shut behind him, and he felt as though he was in a horror movie. All that was needed was the ghost.

"Hello, Mathias."

…Like that.

Mathias spun around, and in the archway leading to the living room stood Matthew, only… he was different. He radiated an air of confidence, almost like Alfred's, except Alfred's was mostly arrogance. Matthew seemed confident and… dangerous. He wasn't wearing his glasses, and for once, he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, allowing Mathias to see the red lines on the pale skin.

Matthew seemed to notice where he was looking, for he casually looked towards his left arm and shrugged.

"You know, _you're_ the reason why I have this one," Matthew said, pointing to a line. "That was when you bumped into me, sending me to the ground, and then you pretended as though you forgot something, just so you could step _on_ me. Both my upper and lower back. You were quite heavy. And then you paused, taking out your cell phone to text someone."

Mathias frowned, not remembering something like that. He probably _did_ do it, but amongst all the other things he did to Matthew and his friends, that one didn't stick out.

He also realised what exactly those red lines were on Matthew's arms.

"Those aren't my fault," Mathias said. "You did that to yourself. Really pathetic, Mattie."

Matthew glared at him, and Mathias took an automatic step back.

"I came to ask you a few questions," Mathias said.

"And what do you expect me to say?" Matthew asked. "'Yes, you destroyed our lives, and now we're suffering a fate worse than death and became something less than human'. Isn't that what Patrick said?"

Mathias felt his stomach drop. It was word-for-word what Patrick had said. But how did Matthew know about it?

Matthew smirked, seeing the look on Mathias's face.

"He was right about the first part, you know," Matthew said. "You _did_ destroy our lives. You, Alfred, and all of the others."

"How exactly do you figure that?" Mathias asked.

Before Matthias realised it, Matthew was in front of him, hand wrapped around his throat. Matthias's eyes widened, not expecting it from _Matthew_ , and the other had a tight grip without choking him.

It was controlled.

"Do you know what it's like to be treated as though you don't exist?" Matthew sneered. "You're stripped of your personality. In another person's eyes, you mean nothing, and you start to believe the same thing. Did you know, there's a poem that explicitly mentions that the worst pains in life are not to die, but to be ignored or forgotten? And when you're not ignored, you're treated as though you're garbage. As though you're a bug. Nothing. You lose yourself, because someone else is so pathetic that they feel the need to treat you as though you're beneath them. They don't treat you like a human."

Matthew released Mathias's throat and stepped back. Mathias rubbed his sore throat and glared.

"You stripped each of us of our humanity," Matthew said. "And for what? Because it's _fun_."

"Yeah, it was," Mathias said. "And you _are_ beneath me."

Matthew's lips curled.

"That brings me to the part where Patrick is _in_ correct," Matthew said. "A fate worse than death. We were already suffering one, thanks to you. Like I said, being ignored and forgotten is one of them. Being hated by your own family. Being treated like a punching bag, or a toy, and having everything about you stripped away and ripped apart, until you're left with nothing. That's a fate worse than death. What we're going through _now_ …" Matthew chuckled. "It's far better than life."

"And what _are_ you going through now?" Mathias asked.

"The second part of Patrick's mistake. We're not _beneath_ humans. We're _above_ you."

And in the next instant, the person standing in front of him didn't look like Matthew, but someone completely different. Mathias took another step back, almost entering the dining room.

"What the hell?" Mathias asked in shock.

He was lifted into the air, a hand wrapped around his throat, or that was how it felt. Matthew hadn't moved.

"You made our lives hell," Matthew said. "But hell likes us, and wanted to make us residents. VIP."

Mathias was thrown towards the stairs, and he groaned in pain as a step dug into his ribs, while another hit his pelvic bone.

"You did that to _me_. Don't complain about it."

Mathias looked up to see Feliks and Lovino standing on either side of Matthew, and he could see that they had changed as well. They looked… dangerous.

"You know, almost two weeks ago, Alfred pushed me down these very stairs," Matthew said. "He simply walked away. He almost killed me. But I was already becoming something other than human. Would you have wanted him to be successful?"

Mathias didn't answer, recognising the trick question. If he answered 'yes', he would incur their wrath, since right now, they were more prone to anger than their usual sadness, and they were actually a threat now. But if he answered 'no', he would be called out on the lie.

"It's the vampire's fault, isn't it?" Mathias asked.

"Vlad provided us with the last thing we needed," Matthew said. "Someone to use magic. All the other things – desperation, anger, sorrow, hatred, fear – those are things that the twelve of you gave us."

"It's _your_ fault we're like this," Lovino said.

"We didn't want it," Feliks said. "But we're not going back."

"And you were right," Matthew said. "We _were_ the ones that killed all the others. I killed Carlos by ripping out his heart. And I killed Gilbert by reaching into his chest and crushing his heart without even breaking skin. I did the same thing to kill Natalia. And I killed Alfred by manipulating him into killing himself. He was a little puppet, unable to do or say anything without my express permission, but aware of every moment. The last thing he saw was my face in the mirror as I told him that he brought it on himself."

"I killed Allen," Feliks said. "I twisted his neck without even touching him."

"I killed Kyo, Antonio and Ivan," Lovino said. "All three of them were turned into dust while still alive. They decomposed at a rapid pace before they were even corpses, and felt everything."

"And without his control," Matthew said, "Vlad tore out Sadiq's heart and gave Elizaveta that aneurysm. Now, he still needs to kill one more person, with full control of his body and mind."

"And that's where you come in," Feliks said. "Demons usually need sacrifices."

Mathias scowled.

"Should have known you'd resort to devil worshipping," Mathias said. "Like the freaks you are."

"Oh, you misunderstand," Feliks said. "We _are_ the demons."

Their eyes glowed red, and Mathias moved back in shock.

"You're monsters," Mathias whispered.

"This wasn't through anything that we did," Matthew said. "You and the others did this to us. And you're the ones paying the price."

"This is what you did," Lovino said. "And you need to pay the price for destroying us."

And Mathias thought he could understand what Lukas had meant.

…

Vlad woke up from his nap, feeling as though he was being watched. He turned his head to see a pair of blue eyes watching him intently.

The blue eyes blinked, and the boy cocked his head to the side.

"You look a lot like a vampire," the boy said.

"So I've been told," Vlad said dryly.

"I think it's cool."

Vlad looked the boy up and down. He didn't have the same green eyes as Arthur, Alice, Alistair or Will, but he _did_ have Ian's blue eyes.

"Who are you?" Vlad asked.

"I'm Peter," the boy said. "I'm the youngest Kirkland right now. Well, we have our cousins in Australia. One of them is a year younger than me."

"So, you're Arthur's little brother?" Vlad asked, before he smiled. "You know, I have a little brother too, but I think he's younger than you. He's eight."

"I'm twelve," Peter said. "What does your brother look like?"

Vlad was tempted to show a picture, before he remembered that he didn't have his phone with him. So he sighed, trying to recall what his brother looked like.

"His eyes are the same colour as mine," Vlad said. "But his hair is a dark brown. There are two locks on either side of his head that stand on end."

"Does he look like a vampire too?" Peter asked.

"Da… I guess he does."

"That's so cool. What's he like?"

"He really loves sweets. He's calm and patient, and it's really hard to upset him. He also loves scary stories."

Peter snickered.

"I'd like to meet him some day," Peter said.

"Peter, what the bloody hell are you doing here?"

The two turned to see Arthur standing at the door, looking between the two of them with a frown on his face. Peter stuck out his tongue.

"I can do whatever I want!" Peter exclaimed.

"Whatever," Arthur sighed. "Get out. I need to talk with Vlad."

Peter pouted, before he stormed out, but not without waving to Vlad. Vlad smiled, before he turned to Arthur with a frown.

"I wouldn't have hurt him," Vlad said. "I'm not desperate or anything."

"I know," Arthur sighed. "I was more worried about him annoying you. Anyway, we need to talk about your memories."

"Why do you want me to restore them so badly?"

"Because I… I was hoping that we could be friends. And I don't want you to get hurt or anything."

Vlad stared in surprise as Arthur averted his gaze, blush on his face.

"We're not at that level yet," Vlad said. "Tell me honestly: what did you do to stop the bullying? And _before_ you found out about what's happening to us."

Arthur flinched.

"I ended my friendship with Alfred," Arthur said. "And gave him a lecture. And… I tried to stop them when they came over to your house. The syrup incident. But I couldn't."

Vlad winced when he recalled the syrup incident, but there wasn't enough. Arthur avoided Vlad's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Arthur said. "I know I said I want to be your friend, but… I've done nothing to help you. I'm really pitiful, aren't I?"

Vlad stared at Arthur for a moment before he averted his own gaze.

"You can't expect me to replace the friends who were actually there for me with someone that did the bare minimum," Vlad said.

"Then let me make up for it!" Arthur said.

"You just want to keep me from becoming a demon. From hurting anyone else."

"I'm also worried about you. Didn't you say that you would like to see your family again? It's still a few months until Christmas."

Vlad was surprised. He had no memory of sharing that information with Arthur, but for Arthur to know something like that…

"Please," Arthur whispered. "Let me make up for everything I did, and didn't do."

Vlad sighed.

"You know that I'm not the only one you needed to make up to?" Vlad asked. "The others have suffered for far longer. I think Matthew especially, considering the fact that you were friends with his brother, who made all our lives hell."

Arthur flinched.

"And unfortunately, there's no way to make it up to them anymore," Arthur said. "Not a way that's safe, at least."

…

Katyusha sighed as she drove home. She had to have a long talk with the school board about her 'lack of control' regarding her siblings. It was strange. They never cared about the bullying before. The principal, Mr Jebb, knew about it, after all, having given a few punishments in the past.

She supposed that it was because the police had gotten involved.

She squinted, seeing something on the sidewalk near their house. As she moved closer, she realised that it was a figure, and it wasn't much longer after that that she noticed the pale blond hair.

"Natalia?" she questioned, coming to a stop and climbing out of the car.

She ran over to her sister, noticing how pale she looked. She placed her hand on the other's forehead, noticing how cold it was, and she moved her hand to Natalia's pulse.

Nothing.

"Nat!" she shouted, trying to shake the other awake. "Ivan! Where are you?! Anyone!"

…

Francis groaned, opening his eyes. What happened? He remembered seeing a twisted version of Feliks, and the other saying something to him – perhaps a greeting? – but then…

What happened?

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Francis jumped, turning to the side. He saw what appeared to be Lovino, Matthew and Feliks, but they looked _wrong_. They looked scary. But Francis recognised Lovino's voice.

"What's going on?" Francis asked nervously.

"Tell me, were you serious about feeling sorry for what you did?" Feliks asked.

"Oui. Of course."

"Then why did you only try to make it up to Vlad?" Lovino asked. "You only went for the one you've known for the shortest time. You didn't bother with the ones you've been torturing for months."

Francis licked his lips.

"Because I knew you wouldn't accept my apology," Francis said. "Vlad didn't, and as you said, he's the one I… tortured the least."

"Well then," Matthew said. "What if we told you that there _is_ a way for you to make it up to us?"

 **Sorry, this hasn't been proofread. I'm a little pressed for time. So if there are mistakes, forgive me.**


	37. Chapter 36

**Thanks to Tossing-stone, Zaaze, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Chireain, Shattering Colors, casualty the facts, RinKagamine002, ScandinavianTrash, TwistDart and an anon for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 36**

Ian parked in front of their house, sighing in frustration. He had only come to drop off Patrick and Alistair, and then he needed to go to the Braginski residence. Back to where they had encountered the three demons earlier.

He now knew that the person they had seen was Natalia, and that she was the one that had been killed.

Ian looked over towards Alistair, who still looked a little out of it. Perhaps Alice could heal the deformity.

"Thank you," Patrick said, opening the car door. "Good luck."

Ian nodded in acknowledgement, knowing that he needed it. He just hoped that he didn't run into any of the three demons.

…

Marcello was lying on his bed, simply staring at the ceiling. The Kirklands had left, telling him that the house was now fortified against demons, including Lovino.

He still didn't want to accept it.

His brother wasn't a monster. He wouldn't do any of the things they were accusing him of. And there was no way that it could be the work of demons. But…

He had seen his Chemistry teacher's face. There was no way that it should be possible. It might have been a chemical reaction, but…

He had seen him before he left, and there was _no way_ that it had happened during that time. And he couldn't imagine that he would do something like that to himself. And Marcello had seen for himself that it wasn't latex or something.

He was told that it had something to do with the murders recently, but he didn't want to believe that Lovino was responsible for any of them. But he couldn't be sure. Not unless he asked Lovino.

And if the Kirklands were right and Lovino had become a demon, and they had fortified the house against demons, Lovino wouldn't be able to enter. He wouldn't be able to come home.

And then Marcello would know.

But he couldn't say anything about this to Feliciano or Romulus. They wouldn't believe him. _He_ didn't even believe it. He would just say that Lovino went out. But if Lovino returned before the other two did, then there wouldn't be anything to say. And no questions would be raised.

But still, Marcello couldn't help but worry.

…

Will went to greet the others when they returned. However, he stopped cold when he saw Alistair.

"What happened?" he asked in alarm.

"This is what Lovino can do," Alistair said bitterly.

Will walked closer to examine his brother's face. Alistair flinched in pain, and Will felt his stomach twist.

"This is what they're capable of?" Will whispered.

"We already knew that they weren't above killing," Patrick said. "And we knew about some of the things. But _this_ …"

"It's more than cruel," Will said. "Alistair would have to live with this for the rest of his life."

"Please don't say that," Alistair said. "We'll find a spell or something that can fix this."

"I don't think I've _ever_ seen anything like this before."

Alistair bit his lip, and the side that had been affected by Lovino started to bleed.

"I'll be in my room," Alistair said. "With every book we have."

"Alistair…" Patrick started.

"I don't want to see anyone."

Alistair stormed off, and Will and Patrick shared a glance.

"He's really affected by this, isn't he?" Will asked.

"Of course he is," Patrick said. "There's no way he could explain this. And… Well… It's not easy to look at."

Will nodded.

"Who's going to tell mum?" he asked.

…

"I-I don't know how it h-happened," Katyusha said. "How could she just…?"

Wulfric and Ian were interviewing her about her sister's death. It was part of their work as police officers. But they both knew that they were out of their league. After all, this wasn't what they signed up for when they learned that they would be the police force in a town primarily made up of teenagers.

Of course, both of them had prior experience. Both of them were police officers before they moved to this town. But the main reason why they were there was because it should have been quiet. They shouldn't have had to deal with murders or anything.

And Ian didn't think that they would have to deal with _demons_.

It hurt him to see a worried family member, not knowing what happened to their child or sibling. But if he were to tell them that they were killed by demons, he would be treated as a joke, or the people would believe that _it_ was a sick joke. They would dismiss him as superstitious, and there was a strong possibility that he would be sent to an asylum for his claims.

It was the wrong time period for something like this.

People didn't want to believe in the supernatural. They needed to see it for themselves before they could believe, and _still_ they would have doubts. It allowed these creatures to operate in secret, which made them more dangerous now than they were hundreds of years ago.

But the demons they had to deal with were inexperienced, born from emotional teenagers. The deaths were obvious, but the way they happened remained a secret. And it was causing a lot of fear.

And the worst part was that Ian didn't know what they were willing to do. It was obvious that they wanted Vlad, but what lengths were they willing to go to in order to get him? Would they be willing to kill innocent people as a way to convince Vlad to come out of hiding?

"Ian!" Wulfric said, snapping the Brit from his thoughts.

"Sorry," Ian said. "I was lost in thought."

"Do you have an idea of what might have happened to Natalia?" Katyusha asked.

Ian hesitated.

"Not quite," he said. "But… You've heard about what happened to Elizaveta Hedervary, correct?"

Katyusha nodded, before she widened her eyes.

"Do you think it might be what happened?" she asked.

"It's a possibility," Ian said. "Were they friends or anything?"

Katyusha turned thoughtful.

"Well, they _did_ spend a lot of time together," she said. "But they didn't seem _that_ close. Then again, neither of them were the girly types, so the way they were around each other wasn't what you usually see around girlfriends. Does that make sense?"

The two nodded their heads. True, neither of the girls struck them as very feminine. And considering the fact that both officers had sons, it was a bit of a foreign concept for them.

"It might be a virus then," Wulfric said. "If it turns out to be another aneurysm. Because it would be too bizarre a coincidence if two healthy teenage girls died of something like that within a week of each other."

Ian nodded, relieved that he had averted their attentions. But he knew that he needed to find a way to stop the demons. He and his family.

They heard a scream, and all three of them rushed out of the house. Another scream was heard, this time from a different house.

Wulfric and Ian exchanged a look before they went to the two separate houses.

…

"Thank you for doing this," Arthur said.

Vlad shrugged.

The two of them were sitting cross-legged on the floor, a bowl of herbs in front of them. Arthur brought out a matchbook, and Vlad closed his eyes. Arthur struck a match, allowing the herbs to ignite as he muttered a spell.

The smoke rose into the air, and Vlad inhaled it. Arthur finished the spell as he watched him carefully. Finally, Vlad opened his eyes and he gave a small smile.

"Looks like he didn't erase too many memories," Vlad said. "He replaced a few, but… It's not as bad as I thought it would be."

"Do you trust me?" Arthur asked.

Vlad hesitated.

"Well, things weren't as bad as I thought," he said. "You were still scared of me, but we talked it out."

"Exactly," Arthur said, smiling as he nodded.

Vlad averted his eyes, frowning.

"I still can't believe that Feliks did something like that," he said. "But I know _why_. It's because I found out about what Feliks did, and what he's become."

"And he wanted to keep you in the dark," Arthur said. "That way, you would still trust them. But how did they expect you to kill someone by choice?"

"Feliks said that he was leaving Ivan, Natalia and Mathias for Lovino and me," Vlad said. "And Lovino killed Ivan, while Matthew finished off Natalia, because she was there."

"And she lost all potential use. They were probably hoping for your bullies to push you over the edge again."

"It's why I enchanted my house so that only I could open the doors or windows," Vlad said. "It was to keep them out."

"So that they didn't attack you at your house again and tempt you," Arthur said, nodding. "And now Mathias is left, but there's nothing that he could do to you at this point in time."

"But he's not safe," Vlad said. "Not after everything he's done. And I don't think Francis is completely safe either. He apologised to _me_. He tried to make it up to _me_. But he didn't do anything to try to earn the others' forgiveness."

"In other words, he's not worth sparing," Arthur said. "But… Did Feliks say anything about him?"

Vlad shook his head.

"I can't think that they would leave him alone," Arthur said. "We'll need to go check on him. Um…"

"I stay here," Vlad said. "That's what you want to say, isn't it?"

Arthur averted his eyes.

"Sorry," he said.

"I understand," Vlad said. "You want to keep me from becoming a demon and killing anyone else."

Arthur nodded his head.

"It's really unfortunate that this should happen," Arthur said. "But we'll find a way to undo the transformation."

"You can't," Vlad said.

"We _will_ find a way. Even if we have to perform experiments."

"And what will you do if nothing works? You can't keep me here forever. Although I _am_ curious as to how you would treat it."

Arthur winced.

"Nothing serious will happen to you," Arthur said. "I promise."

"I'll hold you to that."

…

Francis winced as he went into the room where they kept Mathias. Mathias's wrists were bound with glowing cuffs tied to the wall, and he couldn't break free. Mathias looked up with narrowed eyes.

They were in Feliks's house, but the scent of smoke hung in the air. And the bedroom was sparse, as though a lot of the things had been removed. They knew that it was because the things that had been removed were destroyed, and Mathias was one of the culprits.

"I brought you food," Francis said.

"Why are you helping them?" Mathias asked.

"Because I fear what they would do to me otherwise."

Mathias shrugged, and Francis placed the plate down in front of him, along with a glass of water.

"Do they know you brought me this?" Mathias asked as he started to eat.

"They told me to keep you alive until they can get Vlad," Francis said. "They also want me to do things in places where they can't go."

"What kind of things?"

"Among other things, I need to give a message to Vlad. He's at Arthur's house, but… how I could do something like that, I have no idea. Arthur wouldn't let me in the house, and he would demand how I knew about Vlad being there, and… I have no idea what they'll have me do."

"But you shouldn't have to go through with it."

"Unfortunately, I have to. I helped create the monsters they became."

"I don't believe that."

"But it's true. I mean… Did they _ever_ seem capable of murder?"

Mathias didn't answer, and Francis sighed.

"We're the reason why they're like this now," he said. "And there's nothing we can do to fix it."

"Then we shouldn't try to fix it," Mathias said. "We should try to stop them. And you should be helping me get out of these."

Francis shook his head, before he lifted up his shirt. Mathias's eyes widened when he saw the handprint on the other's stomach, which looked grey.

"Lovino did this to me," Francis said. "He said that if I do everything for them, he would take it away. But, if I try to give them problems, then the next one will be on my face."

Mathias cringed as Francis lowered his shirt.

"The skin is decayed," Francis said. "Lovino said that he could have made everything under my skin decay as well. And that if it happened to my organs, then I would most likely suffer a very painful death."

"Damn," Mathias whispered. "That's not… That's not _normal._ "

"I think we've passed 'normal' a long time ago. Now… I think we're entering purgatory."

"You mean hell?"

"Sort of. Purgatory is the state between life and death, neither heaven nor hell. It is its own form of torture. And we have three demons torturing us."

Mathias shivered, before he looked down at the cuffs around his wrists.

"I think that's about right," Mathias said. "Would you say it's too late to apologise?"

Francis nodded.

"Then I guess you were the smart one," Mathias said. "Sorry for giving you grief."

"I think we're all paying for our past sins," Francis said.

…

Ian sighed in frustration when he finally returned home. He was really starting to consider going on vacation.

Alice went to greet him at the door, and she looked worried.

"Have you seen Alistair?" she asked. "His face…"

"I know," Ian said. "This is what Lovino is capable of. And it's lucky that he didn't kill him."

"But it's still a horrible fate. I mean… how can he explain it? And he would be stared at, and…"

"Does Vlad know yet?" Ian interrupted.

"No," Alice said. "Arthur hasn't seen Alistair yet, and he hasn't left his room. Arthur was working on restoring Vlad's memories."

Ian nodded, before he collapsed on the couch. Alice cautiously approached.

"Did something else happen?" she asked.

"Katyusha Braginskaya called," Ian said. "Her sister was dead in front of their house."

"Vlad told us. Lovino killed Ivan, and Matthew killed Natalia. But Lovino had been acting out of self-defence."

"That makes it worse then. The fact that it was out of self-defence… and then he became a demon. Fate dealt him a cruel hand."

"That can't be all that's bothering you."

"Everyone in the surrounding area is dead," Ian said. "Everyone that had been home at that point in time. We wouldn't have found out if family members hadn't been returning home."

Alice looked horrified, hand finding its way to her mouth.

"But… _why_?" she asked.

"Natalia was found on the sidewalk in front of the house," Ian said. "Which means that she was killed on the street. And Ivan was probably as well, but Lovino's method leaves no trace. Now, if Lovino acted in self-defence…"

"Vlad said that he was being tortured."

"Right. Then I suppose they killed everyone in the vicinity. Everyone who _could_ have helped, but who did nothing. And now we have at least fifteen people dead today."

Alice shook her head.

"It's horrible how something like this could have happened," she said. "But the way they're handling it… It's not _right_."

"Unfortunately, demons have a different sense of morality from humans," Ian said. "To them, it _is_ the right way to deal with things."

"But what about when they were still human?"

Ian shook his head.

"I think it's simply that they had been given more than they could take," Ian said.

Ian's phone rang, and he groaned in frustration before he grabbed the device. He arched an eyebrow when he saw that the number belonged to the secretary of student affairs, and he answered the phone.

"Officer Kirkland here," Ian said.

"Ian, it's Dimitri. I was trying to get a hold of Vladimir Lupei, but I couldn't reach him."

"He's at my house. He… he got sick, and my wife decided that it would be best if she looked after him here."

"And his phone?"

"We must have forgotten it. Anyway, why do you want to speak to him?"

"It's a private matter, if you don't mind. May I speak to him?"

Ian hesitated, before he sighed.

"Alright."

…

Francis returned to the kitchen, and just when he placed the plate in the sink, a hand grabbed him. He jumped and spun around, seeing Matthew.

"I hope you realise that we can hear everything," Matthew said.

Francis felt his stomach drop, but Matthew gave a soft smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Anyway, I have a task for you."

…

"Why can't I go in?" Peter asked.

Patrick sighed, kneeling down to the youngest Kirkland's level.

"Alistair had an accident," he said. "He doesn't want to see anyone right now."

"But… why not?" Peter demanded.

Patrick flinched. They were in front of Alistair's bedroom door, and there was a chance that the eldest brother would be able to hear everything they said.

"You know that we're dealing with demons, right?" Patrick asked.

Peter nodded.

"Why won't you let me help?" Peter asked.

"Because you're too young, and we don't want you to get hurt," Patrick said. "Like Alistair did. And that's why it's not a good idea to bother Alistair."

Peter pouted, and he threw Alistair's door one last look before he stalked off.

…

Vlad and Arthur looked up when Ian entered the room, and Vlad frowned as Ian handed him his cell phone.

"It's the secretary of student affairs," Ian said. "Dimitri Nikolov. He wishes to speak to you."

Vlad's frown deepened as he brought the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" he said.

"Is this Vladimir Lupei?"

"Da. You're the secretary of student affairs, right?"

"Right. Anyway, I received news from Romanian authorities."

Vlad's stomach dropped.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's your family," Dimitri said. "Yesterday morning, they were in an accident. I'm sorry, but… Your mother, father and brother… they died."


	38. Chapter 37

**Thanks to Iroyuki, AwesomenessUponMe, Zaaze, Elizaveta Hedervary – Hungary, Alllans, casualty the facts, SansTheLanguage218, RinKagamine002, ScandinavianTrash and Izzy'sFANDOMS for reviewing.**

 **And yeah, Dimitri** _ **is**_ **Bulgaria. I was thinking that he needed a role, but it was a bit too late to add him as a student, so here it is.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 37**

"Your mother, father and brother… they died."

Those words echoed in Vlad's mind. His family… They couldn't be…

"Y-you're lying," Vlad said, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," the Bulgarian on the other end said. "If you wish to attend their funeral, the school would be more than happy to help you with expenses. And usually, the school would give you a two-week mourning period, but as it isn't in session anymore…"

Vlad was no longer listening. He subconsciously backed himself into the corner, tears streaming down his face. Ian and Arthur were staring at him in worry, but he didn't care.

His family… He lost them. He was holding onto his humanity for when he saw them again, but…

No. They couldn't be dead. They just _couldn't_.

The secretary seemed to realise that he wasn't helping, and so he decided to say one last thing.

"I'm really sorry," the man said. "If there's anything we can do, please call me. Good luck, and once again, sorry for your loss."

The call was disconnected on the other end, and Vlad slumped to the ground, the phone falling from his hand. Ian and Arthur deemed it the time to approach.

"Vlad," Arthur said. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Vlad sniffed, before staring up at them with watery eyes.

"My parents and little brother," Vlad said. "An accident…"

He didn't want to believe that they were dead. He took the phone and quickly dialled his mother's cell phone, but there was no answer. The same with his father's phone, and the landline at home. And when he called his mother's friend, she confirmed that they had died. And she expressed sympathy for Vlad's loss.

It couldn't be. It couldn't…

"Vlad," Ian said, crouching down in front of him. "Is there anything you would like for dinner?"

Vlad was confused for a moment, before realising that it was the officer's attempt to comfort him. Vlad shook his head, and Ian took his phone. He exchanged a look with Arthur before leaving the two alone.

And Arthur didn't know what to do as Vlad sat in the corner and cried.

…

Lovino shuddered, and he turned to the others. They looked alert, and it was clear that they sensed what he sensed.

"Something happened to Vlad," Matthew remarked.

"He's with Arthur Kirkland and his family," Feliks said. "If they hurt him…"

"I don't think it's them," Lovino said. "But you can sense what I can."

The others paused before they nodded. They just needed to find the right time.

…

Lukas opened the door, seeing Francis there. He frowned.

"What do you want?" Lukas demanded.

"M-Mathieu sent me," Francis explained.

Lukas could see in Francis's eyes that the Frenchman was aware of the situation. His eyes held fear, and they had seen the supernatural. And if the demons had sent him…

"What is it?" Lukas asked.

Francis swallowed nervously.

"They wish for you to undo the magic surrounding Vlad's house," Francis said. "It is locked with his blood, or something like that. Did I remember it correctly?"

Lukas nodded.

"I know what you're saying," he said. "Why do they want that?"

Francis shrugged, looking both nervous and relieved. Lukas narrowed his eyes.

"How did you get sucked into this?" he asked.

Francis shook his head.

"It is for them the only acceptable way of repenting for my actions," Francis said. "I am aware of the fact that I helped create these monsters."

"At least _one_ of you is smart enough to realise that," Lukas said.

"It's not just us," Francis said. "The ones that played an active role in the destruction of their lives. I think they want _everyone_ to be punished."

"What?"

"How many times could we have been stopped? We – or at least, _I_ – thought that it was harmless. That what we were doing was harmless jokes and they were overreacting. But… How many other people saw what we were doing, and knew that what we were doing were wrong, but did nothing?"

Lukas flinched. He knew that he was one of those people. He could have tried harder with Mathias. He could have made more of an effort. But instead, he did nothing, and he only really got involved after Vlad joined their club.

"I see," Lukas said. "They want me to undo the spell on Vlad's house, right?"

Francis nodded his head, and Lukas decided to follow him to Vlad's house. And as he did, he couldn't help but think about the situation.

Why would they ask for _him_ to undo the spell? Was there something in the spell that prevented them from doing anything? Like a sort of weakness? Or… Was it that they had yet to grow strong enough to do something like that?

And if so… what could make them stronger?

…

Alice entered Vlad's room, carrying a cup of tea in a saucer. Arthur had left a while ago, in an effort to give Vlad some space. And she wanted to comfort the boy.

He was in the corner, hunched up. She wondered what had made him retreat there, and was sure that there must have been a story behind the action. But it would have to wait. Vlad needed comforting.

"Vlad," Alice said. "Sweetie, I made you some tea."

He looked up, his face red and swollen from the crying. His eyes were bloodshot, and there was so much red. It was unbelievable.

"I don't…" he said.

"Please," Alice said. "Let us at least try to help you."

He hesitated before he took the cup. She smiled, putting the saucer down next to him.

"Ian told me that there was an accident?" she prompted.

Vlad nodded his head, taking a sip of the tea.

"They're dead," Vlad said. "And I… I wasn't there."

"Do you believe that you could have stopped it?" Alice asked.

Vlad shook his head.

"No," he said. "But I might have been able to join them."

"Don't think like that," Alice said. "Banish those thoughts from your mind right now."

Vlad chuckled bitterly.

"Don't worry," he said. "If I try to kill myself, I wouldn't be able to join them anyway. I wouldn't have a soul anymore."

Alice was confused, until she realised what it meant. Committing suicide… It was a conscious decision to kill someone. But… Did it really count?

As though reading her mind, Vlad spoke.

"I already confirmed it with Blood," he said. "It counts."

Alice shook her head, though she was worried. If suicide had crossed his mind…

And she felt horrible that she couldn't quite figure out for which reason he was denying suicide as a possibility. Was it because he still had a will to live, because he didn't want anyone to get hurt if he should become a demon, or was it because he knew that he wouldn't be able to see his family again in the afterlife?

She was unaware of Vlad watching her. She snapped out of it, however, when she heard porcelain clinking against each other.

"Thank you for the tea," he said. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer to be alone."

Alice took the empty cup and saucer. She gave him a small smile that she hoped was encouraging, before she left. She really felt sorry for the poor boy. It was one traumatic incident after another.

…

"There," Lukas said. "It's finished. It was just a simple locking spell. Why did the demons want me to undo it?"

Francis didn't answer, though he tensed when he felt someone behind him. He didn't turn around, instinctively knowing who it was.

"It was more of a test to see how strong you are."

Lukas jumped, spinning around to see Feliks standing behind Francis. Francis didn't dare move, fearing the one behind him.

Oh, how the wheel turned.

"Why?" Lukas asked. "Why did you need to give me a test?"

Feliks smirked.

"To see how much of a threat you are," Feliks said. "That spell was designed to prevent a demon to get in, among others. I could get out, though."

Lukas swallowed nervously.

"I'm no threat to you," Lukas said. "Please."

"Oh, we know that you wouldn't do anything," Feliks said. "Not with Emil's life on the line. We just need to know what you _could_ do. Just in case we need a… barrier lifted. One specifically designed to keep us out."

Lukas widened his eyes. He suspected that Arthur had it done with his house. And if Arthur received the same threat that he did, but he still decided to continue…

Feliks cocked his head to the side, a childish look on his face.

"We want Vlad," Feliks said. "And one way or another, we're going to get him."

Lukas narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you so desperate to get him?" Lukas asked. "You've already turned into demons. You're already stronger than we are. Why are you obsessed with having him too? You weren't friends for that long. Three weeks!"

Feliks's smile fell, and Francis closed his eyes, mouthing something. It went along the lines of 'don't make him angry, I'm begging you'.

"You're a loner," Feliks said. "You were alone by choice. But us outcasts… Do you know how horrible it feels, to be hated by everyone? To be treated as less than human? To mean _nothing_ to everyone? When you find someone that actually _wants_ to be around you… You'll be willing to do _anything_ to keep them with you. He actually wanted _our_ company. He wasn't like the others. He wasn't willing to abandon us in favour of having the torture stop. He liked _us_." Feliks smirked again. "Those are the human reasons. As for the demon reasons… He was the catalyst. Without him, we'd still be human. We'd still be weak, and we'd be nothing more than victims. We'd still be treated like trash. Without him… Allen would have raped me. He was tired of simply molesting me. And three other jerks would have done the same to me too. Matthew would have been beaten to a pulp by both Sadiq and Carlos. He would have been killed by Alfred. I was thinking specifically of the cases which isn't a domino after a previous one."

"In other words, not influenced by those you killed," Lukas said.

Feliks nodded, placing his hand on Francis's shoulder. Francis grimaced in pain as the grip tightened, serving as a warning, as well as a means of relieving pressure for Feliks.

But Lukas got the message. Feliks was trying to tell them that, without the demonic powers, they would have been utterly destroyed. Feliks was far smaller than Allen. There would be no way that he would have been able to fight the other off. His only hope would have been that someone walked in and stopped it. But if it was one of the other bullies…

Lukas didn't know how the others would have reacted. Instinctively, he figured that they might have encouraged Allen. Or they might have joined. He had seen how they had stripped Vlad down the previous week. It wouldn't be too far of a stretch to believe something like that.

"How would Matthew have been killed by Alfred?" Lukas asked.

"Alfred pushed him down the stairs," Feliks said. "Matthew landed hard on his head. He was knocked unconscious, but the demon side, Death, was able to take control and heal him."

Lukas nodded his head in understanding, and Francis widened his eyes. It was one thing to think of Matthew as a monster for killing his own brother. But hearing that Alfred had almost done it as well…

And it wasn't a "domino", as Feliks had explained. Which meant that it would have happened, regardless of what happened otherwise.

Feliks smirked again.

"You may see us as monsters," Feliks said, "but we've been dealing with monsters for a _long_ time. Monsters that lurked in the dark. Monsters that came to our homes. Monsters that followed us wherever we went. Monsters that haunted our nightmares."

Feliks turned to Francis, who flinched.

"If Vlad hadn't come, then we would still be tormented by the monsters," Feliks said. "Franny here would still be a monster. Almost all of our kills were out of self-defence. Allen, Sadiq, Carlos, Kyo, those three creeps in that other house, Elizaveta, Gilbert, Antonio and Ivan. In fact, it's just Matthew and I that decided to take the initiative. To kill before they get us."

"How many times have your lives actually been in danger?" Lukas asked.

"Gilbert brought a gun. He wanted to kill Vlad. And Antonio and Ivan both tried to kill Lovino."

Francis looked horrified to hear that his friends were willing to do something like that. Lukas couldn't blame him. He understood what Feliks was trying to say. But there was one more thing that bothered him.

"What are you going to do after you've gotten a hold of Vlad?" Lukas asked.

Feliks smiled.

"That's a secret," Feliks said. "But just know that everyone that wronged us would get what's coming to them."

Feliks disappeared, and Francis gasped, falling to his knees.

"Mon dieu," he gasped. "Those things he said… Gilbert, Antonio…"

Lukas nodded.

"You know what he was getting at, don't you?" Lukas asked.

Francis looked up, shaking his head.

"He was trying to say that humans are monsters. And compared to what they had been through… They hadn't been monstrous at all. Perhaps by human standards, but compared to other demons… They haven't done anything nearly as monstrous."

Francis shuddered.

"Then I don't want to see anything 'monstrous' by their standards," Francis said.

…

Vlad waited until it was well past midnight. He couldn't hear any movement in the house anymore, and deduced that the Kirklands were all asleep.

He stood up, wincing in discomfort. He had stayed in that position for quite some time, and his joints were stiff. But he knew that after a while it would fade.

He honestly didn't know why he had gone into the corner. Some instinct had told him to go there. It wasn't exactly a demon's instinct. A demon didn't cower, not easily. And a demon wouldn't feel threatened.

He could only assume that it was his own instinct, attempting to feel as though he was being embraced by someone. That was the only logical explanation that he could think of.

As quietly as he could, he crept down the stairs. It wouldn't do to have any of the Kirklands waking up. They would only stop him, and he would have a hard time explaining what he was up to. No, he had to do this in secret.

As soon as he was at the bottom of the stairs he paused, pricking his ears to determine whether or not he had been heard. Or perhaps if one of them simply decided to get a glass of water or something. Deciding that it was safe, he proceeded to the front door.

He frowned in annoyance when he realised that the door was locked with an enchantment. He couldn't blame them, though. It was the same thing that he had done at his own house.

Well, perhaps not _exactly_ the same. There was no blood magic involved.

Because of that, Vlad could easily counter their spell with one of his own. He smirked when the door opened, and he quietly slipped out.

He muttered an incantation, and he could see where the border of the barrier was. Nodding his head firmly, he walked closer towards the border, and stopped short of it.

And now he would wait.

Luckily, he didn't have to wait for long. Three figures appeared out of the darkness. Matthew, Feliks and Lovino. They didn't look any different from usual. Which meant that they had slipped into their human forms. Probably for his sake.

"I take it that you know I want to talk to you," Vlad said.

"Of course," Matthew said. "We could sense it."

"But we don't know what it's about," Feliks said. "We just know that something happened that's upset you."

"If it's those Kirklands," Lovino said, "then we'd be more than happy to deal with them on your behalf."

Vlad was silent for a moment. Their behaviours caught him by surprise. He couldn't sense a hint of malice in them. Matthew and Feliks sounded worried, while Lovino sounded serious about 'dealing' with Arthur and his family on his behalf.

"I got a call from the secretary of student affairs," Vlad said. "He told me that my family is dead."

The three reacted with shock. Vlad didn't know if it was genuine shock, or if they were that good at deception. He wanted to believe the former, but he couldn't dismiss the latter.

"Tell me now," Vlad said. "Honestly. Did you have anything to do with that?"

The three exchanged a look.

"We're still new-born demons," Matthew said. "We're not _that_ powerful. We could access the minds of others through telepathy, but only those we know."

"And we don't know your family," Feliks said.

"We're also not at full strength yet," Lovino said. "We're still waiting for you."

Vlad was quiet again. He noticed that Feliks didn't speak with his verbal tic anymore, which was a bit disconcerting. And he also took note of what Lovino had said. That they weren't at full strength yet because they were still waiting for him.

 _That_ would explain why they wanted him.

Matthew sighed.

"We didn't even do anything to our own families," Matthew said. "Well, with the exception of Alfred. We're still too… _human_ to do anything. And we know that if we attacked _your_ family, you would never agree to join us."

"We're sorry," Lovino said, sounding genuinely sorry. "But we had nothing to do with your family's deaths."

"We can't even influence the outside of this town yet," Feliks said.

Vlad took a step back, and he could sense that they _were_ telling the truth. He gasped, before he fell to his knees, tears falling from his face yet again.

The other three turned to each other before they left. It wasn't the time to turn their trio into a quartet.

 **There's a bit of a Casper reference in the end. Last-minute thing, you know?**


	39. Chapter 38

**Thanks to Shattering Colors, Zaaze, Olivia Kirkland, Youngbountygirl, Fanciey Creatures, AwesomenessUponMe, ScandinavianTrash and Izzy'sFANDOMS for reviewing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 38**

Romulus sighed, tapping his fingers impatiently, phone pressed against his ear. Lovino had come by the restaurant the previous day to inform him that the police were allowing Feliks to live at his house again, but that the Pole was still a bit nervous about staying there alone after what had happened the other day. And so, Lovino had told him that _he_ would be staying with Feliks.

And apparently, Feliks and Vlad had a bit of a fight, so the Romanian couldn't stay with the Pole. Which was why _Lovino_ was staying with him.

That was all well and good, but Romulus was getting impatient. If only his grandson would answer his phone!

"Hey nonno," Marcello greeted, entering the kitchen.

Romulus waved distractedly at his youngest grandson, gesturing that there was breakfast ready for him. He noticed that Marcello seemed to be tired – emotionally exhausted. He wondered if he was getting sick as well.

Finally, Romulus heard something on the other end, and he sighed in a mixture of relief and frustration.

"About time," Romulus said. "You shouldn't keep your poor grandpa waiting."

"I was in the shower," Lovino said grumpily. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to check on you," Romulus said. "Have you heard? There were more weird deaths yesterday."

"Si. It's weird. But I'd like to get changed now."

"Sorry. Ciao."

Romulus hung up the phone before he turned to Marcello, who looked tense.

"Are you okay?" Romulus asked in a gentle voice, and Marcello shook himself.

"S-si," Marcello said. "I just… I'm not really that hungry."

Before Romulus could do or say anything, Marcello was out of the room.

…

Marcello's thoughts were racing. Romulus had spoken to Lovino. He was fine. He was still human. So, why couldn't he help the fear that he was feeling?

It was just because of what the Kirklands had said the previous day. There was no way that Lovino was a demon. There was no way…

Marcello blinked, realising that his feet had led him to Lovino's room. He sighed, before he plopped down on the bed, face down. He turned his head to the side, before he froze.

There, sitting unassuming on the bedside table, was Lovino's cell phone.

Marcello's hand trembled as he reached out to the phone, taking it in his hand. He opened the call log to see that Lovino's last call had been with their grandfather, at 07:45. Marcello checked the time on the phone and paled. It was currently 07:47.

Marcello almost dropped the phone. It shouldn't be possible. There was no way that Lovino could have spoken to their grandfather over the phone, for the log said that the call had been answered, and a conversation had happened. But it was impossible. Unless Lovino had snuck into his room, spoken on the phone with their grandfather, and then duck out before Marcello arrived. It didn't make sense.

Marcello jumped when he heard something from his own room. It sounded like _his_ cell phone. He quickly ran to his room with Lovino's phone in hand, and answered the phone, not even checking the ID.

"Hello?"

"Ciao fratellino."

Marcello's heart stopped when he heard his brother's voice. He looked down at Lovino's cell phone in his hand.

Of course, he was just being ridiculous. Lovino could always ask Feliks for a phone. Except… Looking at the screen revealed that the phone was currently engaged in a call. With Marcello.

"You know what I am, don't you?" Lovino asked. "The Kirklands told you, didn't they? Did they tell you that I was dangerous? That I'm _evil_?"

"L-Lovi…" Marcello whimpered.

"I want to have a word with you. Face to face. You know where Feliks's house is, don't you?"

Marcello bit his lip, feeling frightened of his older brother.

"…Yes, you do. I promise, fratellino, that I won't harm you if you come. If you _don't_ come, on the other hand… I make no promises."

Marcello gulped nervously.

"W-when do you want me to c-come?" Marcello asked.

"Immediately."

Lovino hung up, and Marcello fell to his knees. He was afraid. He shouldn't be afraid of his brother, but… But the way he _spoke_.

Marcello took a deep breath, pushing himself to his feet. Romulus and Feliciano would be going to the restaurant now, and Marcello had a shift during the afternoon. There was nothing stopping him from going to see Lovino.

And he didn't want to know what Lovino would do if he _didn't_ go to him.

…

Matthew stood in his kitchen, watching his parents. Unseen. They were depressed. It was understandable, since their son had committed suicide earlier the week.

Matthew smiled, a small hint of sadness. It was better this way. This was the last time he would see his parents.

…

Ian yawned, sitting at the kitchen table. The entire family, with the exception of Alistair, was sitting down for breakfast, and they all looked tired, the emotional strain of everything getting to them. Only Peter was energetic, though it was more subdued than usual. He picked up on his family's strain, and though he wasn't involved, he knew that it was serious.

Vlad had also not come down for breakfast. Arthur had briefly gone to check on him, informing the others that Vlad was asleep on the couch in his room, though the sleep looked restless, and he kept muttering in Romanian.

They needed to let Vlad know that they were going to support him, without being overbearing towards him. They didn't want to push him away. They knew that it would only cause problems.

"Nothing yet?" Alice asked.

"No," Will said. "This is very rare, and as far as I can tell, there aren't any records of anyone reversing the process."

"I might have another idea," Arthur said. "But, it will be extremely dangerous. And it would require a magic circle."

"Arthur, I doubt that summoning a demon would help," Patrick said.

"How did…?"

"A hunch."

"Arthur," Will said, "what makes you think that a demon would help you?"

"Vlad mentioned that there was a demon after him," Arthur said. "One that he had accidentally summoned when he was younger, and who wanted to use his body as his own. He said that the demon was in town, and was the one that had given him the clue that he was turning into a demon himself. Or made him think that he was being possessed."

"And what makes you think that he would help?"

"Because he was robbed of his prize. He wanted Vlad's body, after all."

"And how are you going to go about it?" Alice asked. "What are you going to do to make it worth the demon's while? Tell him that he could use Vlad's body?"

Arthur didn't answer immediately. Finally, he sighed.

"I think we should bluff him," Arthur said. "And then we can banish him, like Vlad's mother banished him before."

"And that worked out well, didn't it?" Peter asked sarcastically.

"Peter's right," Ian said. "Arthur, the last thing we need to do is do something reckless, or which could endanger someone else. That said… If it's in the town, then it _should_ be easy to draw him closer in an area where he could be granted temporary access. Access which could be denied by using a single word."

"Like our basement," Alice said. "But Arthur, you will _not_ be doing this alone."

"I understand," Arthur said. "I'll ask Vlad for more information on his demonic 'friend'."

"And we'll start preparing," Will sighed. "I can't believe we're doing it, though."

"You will have to do it without me," Ian said. "Wulfric will be needing my help today."

…

"You're really paranoid lately," Emil said. "What's gotten into you?"

Lukas didn't answer, knowing that Emil wouldn't believe him. They were half-brothers, after all, and the magical part was in the half that Lukas _didn't_ share with Emil.

"Why can't I leave the house?" Emil continued to ask.

"Because a lot of people have been dying recently," Lukas sighed. "I don't want the same thing to happen to you."

Emil shook his head.

"I'll be with my friends," Emil said. "I'll be _fine_."

Lukas didn't respond, wondering if he really _would_ be fine. The demons had said that they would kill Emil if Lukas interfered, but… The problem was, Lukas didn't know if he _did_ interfere. Like when he allowed Arthur to 'steal' the stone (his nose still hurt after that punch). Not to mention him warning Mathias, as unclear as it was. Did it count?

Then again, Feliks hadn't given any clues about it. He made no mention of Lukas's interference. So… maybe he _didn't_ interfere, at least not in their eyes. In which case, it _should_ be safe for Emil to go out with his friends.

Emil kept eyeing him, and finally Lukas sighed.

"Alright," he said. "But please, be careful. Trust no one, understand? Your friends are okay, but nobody else. Got it?"

Emil sighed, before nodding his head. Lukas really hoped that he listened to him.

…

Marcello walked up to Feliks's house, feeling nervous. He didn't know what Lovino wanted from him, and he didn't know whether or not Lovino really _was_ a demon. He hoped not. He hoped that Lovino was just in on a prank with the Kirklands.

Before Marcello could knock, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped, spinning around to see Lovino, who was staring at him with a relaxed smile on his face.

"L-Lovi!" Marcello exclaimed. "Y-you scared me!"

"I can see that," Lovino said. "So, what did Officer Kirkland and his sons have to say about me? That I'm turning into a demon that's more than willing to kill people?"

Marcello didn't answer, simply watched with wide eyes. Lovino didn't look as though he was kidding. In fact, he looked like a completely different person.

Lovino noticed his brother's silence and smirked.

"Well, it's not completely true," Lovino said. "I'm not turning into anything anymore. It's already done."

Marcello gasped, backing up nervously. Lovino's appearance changed in front of him, and Marcello was surprised. It wasn't monstrous, but still possessed a quality that wasn't quite _human_.

"Th-then it's t-true," Marcello stuttered. "W-what you d-did to Mr K-Kirkland's face."

"Si," Lovino said, his tone almost bored.

Marcello swallowed nervously.

"W-why did you w-want to s-see me?" Marcello asked, fearing the worst.

"You're going to let the French Bastard into the house," Lovino said. "You will take him to my room. And then he will leave. This afternoon, nonno will decide that this place is too dangerous. How many people were killed in two weeks? Well, I _could_ tell you, but I'm not in the mood. And Romulus Vargas would leave with his two grandsons."

Marcello was confused, and Lovino leaned closer.

"By the time the sun sets, you will forget that Lovino Vargas ever existed," Lovino whispered. "All traces of me will vanish. All photographs. Any drawings Feliciano might have of me. All trace of me will be erased from your lives."

Marcello simply stared, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion, fear, sorrow, and emotions that he couldn't even identify.

"W-why?" Marcello asked.

"Even back when I was human, I knew that you were better off without me," Lovino said. "And think of it as my last bit of humanity talking."

"What?"

"There's a shitstorm coming," Lovino said. "I want the three of you to be as far away from this as possible."

Lovino looked behind Marcello, and Marcello turned to see Francis standing there. Francis nodded to him in greeting, and Marcello could tell that the Frenchman was scared. Marcello turned back to Lovino, but the elder Italian was gone.

"Come on," Francis said. "I don't know why, but he wants me to go to his old room and… that's it. Did he tell you anything else?"

Marcello shook his head, turning back to Francis.

"How did _you_ get involved in this?" Marcello asked.

"It is to be my punishment for what I did to your brother and his friends," Francis sighed.

Marcello nodded absently, wondering if Lovino really _was_ a demon yet again. But this time, it was because he had seen the way Lovino acted towards him. He wanted them to forget about him, and to get out of the town before something terrible happened.

And Marcello couldn't help but wonder what that terrible thing was.

…

Arthur had wanted to ask Vlad about the demon that had wanted to possess him, but had thought better of it when he saw Vlad still on the couch, his face pale, except for around the eyes, which were red, swollen and had dark circles surrounding them.

Arthur didn't want to disturb Vlad from his sleep, as it would only serve to return Vlad to the harsh reality before he was ready. And he also didn't want to bring up the subject of 'demons' with Vlad. Not after everything he had been forced to go through.

Which was why Arthur was currently working on finishing a circle that would attract a nearby demon while hoping that the one he attracted wasn't Lovino, Matthew or Feliks. Alice, Will and Patrick were looking on a bit disapprovingly that he was doing such a potentially dangerous ritual with minimal preparation. They were also quick to help him with the spell.

"Alright," Arthur said. "So now, a demon _should_ be attracted here, but it wouldn't be able to leave the circle, since the barrier is still in place. And it wouldn't be able to use spells. I managed to write Lovino, Matthew and Feliks's names in the runes, which _should_ bar them from coming."

"Let's hope it works," Patrick said.

Arthur nodded as he started the chant. He was focused, but he could feel the familiar surge of power, which manifested as the wind swirling around him. He could feel a presence looming before him, but he continued the chant until something roared.

Arthur almost faltered, but finished the chant and opened his eyes. Before him was a shadowy figure, which writhed and twisted in front of him before settling, standing there and staring at Arthur with red eyes.

Well, it wasn't his three schoolmates-turned-demons. So, perhaps it was successful.

"Who dares?" the demon snarled.

"I do," Arthur said. "I am Arthur Kirkland. A friend of Vlad Lupei."

At the mention of Vlad's name, the demon seemed to lose its anger as it regarded Arthur, an amused smirk on its face.

"Not friends," the demon said. "You don't have a strong enough bond for something like that."

Arthur ignored the sting from the demon's words, preferring to concentrate on what he needed to say. Will stepped forward.

"You know about Vlad's possible transformation, don't you?" Will asked.

"Of course," the demon said. "I'm the one that shed light on the child's situation."

"What is your name?" Alice demanded.

The demon chuckled.

"I am no fool," it said. "I know that you possess enough magic to have power over me with the knowledge of my name."

"It doesn't matter," Arthur asked. "We want to ask you about Vlad Lupei."

The demon turned back to regard him, a smirk on its face. Arthur swallowed nervously.

"This transformation of his," Arthur said. "How do you stop it?"

The demon barked in laughter, and the four Kirklands tensed. It turned its red eyes to Arthur again after it had stopped its laughing.

"It is not something that can be undone," the demon said. "It is a transformation brought on by scars running deep. Tell me, if a man has a large wound stretching from his ear to his mouth, would it ever fade?"

"Not without plastic surgery," Patrick muttered.

The demon snorted.

"And even then, the ghost remains," it said. "If not physically, then the one who had the scar would still feel it. He would still fear looking into a mirror and seeing the disfigurement."

The four humans were silent. It was the same thing that Alistair was currently struggling with.

"He is too emotionally scarred," the demon said. "And the very nature of the transformation… After all, it is not a requirement that he kill someone. It changes with each case."

"We're aware of that one," Arthur said.

"No matter how much you convince him to hang onto his humanity, to be _happy_ , that would never happen. He would always feel the impulse. He is no longer human, but he is not yet a demon. He is in a state between states, seeking to leave. He cannot return to being human, so his instincts will drive him towards completing the transformation and becoming a demon. But it's not just _his_ will you need to worry for."

"I know," Arthur said. "There are three others who've already transformed."

"Having a pack like this is unheard of. Never before had two shared in this ritual, let alone _four_. They will try hard to get their last member back, and he will be more than willing to join them, the longer he is away from them. And then there are other forces at work. They were _chosen_ , after all. It was one of those forces that killed his family. That severed the last human ties he had."

The four widened their eyes in shock. Hearing that it _wasn't_ an accident that had killed Vlad's family…

"You wanted to know how to stop it," the demon said. "The only way to stop Vlad from completing the transformation is to kill him, but even that runs the risk of making him return as something else – not a demon, but a spirit."

"I want to know something," Will said. "You've been awfully willing to talk. What's the catch? What do you want? Why are you telling us all of this?"

The demon chuckled.

"All I've said is the truth," the demon said. "Professional courtesy. What I said needed to be heard. And it just so happens that Vlad is at the door, listening this whole time."


	40. Chapter 39

**Thanks to dododoobird, ScandinavianTrash, Zaaze, AwesomenessUponMe, Fanciey Crietures and SansTheLanguage218 for reviewing.**

 **I'm so sorry about the lateness – though still Friday. I'm just super busy with finishing all my exams** _ **two months early**_ **because I'm going to France soon. On the bright side, it** _ **should**_ **be better in two weeks, though I would need to figure something out with the wi-fi there. So, heads-up on a possible delay with updates. Again, I didn't have a chance to proofread this, so forgive me for any errors. After posting this, I'm going straight to bed because my insomnia** _ **also**_ **decided to kick in earlier this week, making me seriously deprived of sleep. It doesn't help that it's 33 degrees** _ **in the middle of what's supposed to be spring**_ **! So, sleep deprivation, exam stress and heat do not make a good combination.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 39**

As soon as the demon said that Vlad was listening outside, Arthur jumped up, ignoring his family members as he ran out of the room. The demon stayed in the circle, not even attempting to leave. That was what they had been worried about when Arthur just abandoned the circle, but seeing the demon not even attempting to break free made them even more worried.

"I'm not going anywhere," the demon said. "Things would go more smoothly without my interference. And besides, you only summoned me to your location, not your world. I'm already here, so I have no reason to try to escape."

"You intended to use Vlad's body," Will said. "Why aren't you bothered by the fact that you cannot do that anymore?"

The demon chuckled.

"When I first saw him, he was an innocent child. Naïve. Unable to see the evils in others. I wanted to corrupt that. Tear his mind apart. Show him the darkness that lurks in his own soul. I wanted to taint him. Fill his heart with absolute despair. But what's happening now… It was better than I could ever hope for. The corruption that he has suffered through. The mind unravelling. I've seen demons that have trouble getting their victims to Vlad's level. And what makes all of this _delicious_ is that Vlad's corruption was caused by _humans_. It's not something you see every day."

The three simply stared at the demon in horror, and it smirked.

"Humans are quick to blame us for the evils in this world," it said. "But there are many humans that don't need a demon to be capable of evil. Like Vlad's tormentors. They didn't have any influence from outside forces. All the things they've done were by their own hands. Their own thoughts."

"I think we've heard enough," Alice said. "It's time for you to leave."

"Very well," the demon said. "But remember: You can't fight fate."

…

As soon as Arthur had left the basement, he saw Vlad rushing away. Some of the things the demon had said had upset him. He could only imagine how Vlad must have felt about it.

"Vlad!" Arthur called out, running towards the Romanian.

Vlad ignored him, trying to get away as fast as possible without running. It wasn't hard for Arthur to catch up to him.

"Vlad!" Arthur exclaimed. "How long have you been listening?"

"From the point where he said that the transformation couldn't be undone," Vlad said coldly. "Like I told you. So, when were you planning to tell me that you were having a meeting with the demon that tried to take control of my body when I was a child?"

"I-I wanted to," Arthur said. "You were sleeping, and I… I couldn't bring myself to bother you. How did you…?"

"Know what you were doing?" Vlad finished. "I could sense him. I'm familiar with this demon, Arthur. I can tell when he's near. Especially after finding out what's happening. So, looks like killing me isn't an option either. Then again, you could simply decide that being a spirit is the lesser of two evils."

"We are _not_ going to kill you!" Arthur snapped. "Why do you keep thinking that that's what we're going to do?"

"Like I said," Vlad said. "I'm from a family of mages too. I know how these things work. And it looks like everything wants me to become a demon. So much so that they've severed the last links to my humanity."

Arthur's stomach dropped. He knew what Vlad was talking about. That the demon had said that his family's death was no accident, and had in fact been orchestrated by forces that wanted Vlad to become a demon.

"He was lying," Arthur said. "You can't trust that a demon would speak the truth."

"And yet, _you_ summoned him to ask about _me_ ," Vlad said, and Arthur flinched. "Demons rarely lie. They often twist the truth, or withhold some information. They also play with your feelings by toying with your own perception of truth. And they're more willing to say the complete truth than lie. Demons are actually more honest than humans are. By the way, what happened to Alistair?"

Arthur's eyes widened. They didn't mention Alistair down there, did they? Or did Vlad run into him while he came down to see what was happening?

"Peter told me that something happened to Alistair," Vlad said. "Something to do with the demons. Now, what happened, and when were you going to tell me?"

Arthur swallowed nervously, and he averted his eyes.

"Remember when we went to fetch you?" Arthur asked. "How Feliks was so angry, and that Matthew had warned me against interfering and to stay away from you?"

Vlad nodded.

"Well… When we were going to fetch you, Patrick, Alistair and my father went to get Lovino," Arthur continued. "Lovino had a bit of a… breakdown when they said that Matthew and Feliks had completed the transformation. He ran away, and you know what happened. When my father and Alistair caught up to him, it was too late, and all three of them were there. They made it clear that the two of them were in danger, but Lovino was… somewhat grateful for the lack of interference, and decided to alleviate my punishment for disregarding their warning. And so Lovino… They spared their lives, but… Alistair's face… One side of it is… decayed."

"And when were you going to tell me?" Vlad asked casually.

Arthur flinched.

"It… It was something to concern my family," Arthur said. "I didn't want to bother you."

"In other words, you either didn't think that it concerned me, or you didn't want to tell me about the type of things that my friends are doing," Vlad said.

"They're not your friends anymore."

"But they're better friends than you. The only things they've kept from me before their transformations were the details of some of their past torments. And they actually _did_ fill me in on some of them."

Arthur started to feel a little angry, until he remembered what the demon said. That Vlad would want to join the others, and that he would instinctually want to finish the transformation. It would stand to reason that he might look for an enemy to give him a reason to complete the transformation. And he was looking for a reason to consider _Arthur_ an enemy.

"What do you want to know?" Arthur asked, surprising Vlad. "You said that the only thing they've kept from you are a few details of some of their past torments. So then, what do you want to know about _me_?"

Vlad stared at Arthur blankly for a moment, and Arthur could see in his eyes that his thoughts were twisted and confused. He was right. He was subconsciously searching for a reason to see Arthur as an enemy, but he was caught off-guard, and the impulse was fading away.

Arthur hoped.

"I want to know what kind of person you _would_ be," Vlad said. "When there's no other choice… what would you do? Because I… I don't want to die. And I don't want to come back as some sort of spirit. I don't… I want to be certain of my fate. Because for now… The only thing I _am_ certain of is that if I kill someone, I will become a demon, and I know what would come next."

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked.

"It's best if you didn't know that," Vlad said.

"Didn't you _just_ accuse me of hiding things from you?"

Vlad's mouth twitched, before he sighed.

"I feel the overwhelming urge to finish the transformation so that everyone would pay for what they've done, or didn't do."

…

Marcello led Francis to Lovino's room. They were both still confused about what was supposed to happen, though.

The moment when Francis stepped foot into the room, everything inside of it disappeared, with the exception of the bed and dresser, which came with the house. The two stared at the room with wide eyes before turning to each other.

"I guess that's what Lovi wanted to happen," Marcello said.

"Oui," Francis said. "I must admit, it's a very convenient thing. Though… _how_ did it…?" Francis shook his head. "And now I have to leave."

Marcello led the way to the front door, and Francis turned to him.

"I'm sorry," Francis said.

"Thank you," Marcello said. "I guess. Good luck with… With Lovi."

…

Romulus had closed the restaurant and asked all of his employees to meet him in the kitchen. Everyone was nervous, wondering what it could be about.

Romulus looked at all of them, before his gaze rested on Feliciano. He sighed.

"I'm sorry to say this," Romulus said. "But the restaurant is closing."

"Why?" one of the waitresses asked.

"This town… I don't think it's safe for my grandsons anymore. I'm sorry. I think it would be a good idea for you all to get out of town as well. At least until the murderer is caught."

Everyone was silent. They couldn't deny that there was something horrible happening lately. And perhaps it would be better for all of them to flee while they had the chance. They couldn't help but think that there was a chance that one of them could be next.

"When are we leaving?" Feliciano asked in a small voice.

"Tomorrow," Romulus said. "But if we can manage it, I would prefer to go tonight. I'll tell Marcello and Lovino as well. I'll give you all one last pay check. Thank you for all your hard work."

Everyone was saddened, but they couldn't help but admire their boss, now former boss. He put his grandsons first, and he wanted to protect them from a possible danger. And they were considering what he had said. It would require that they convinced their parents, but they also felt that they needed to get out of the town.

…

Francis returned to Feliks's house, and he saw that Lovino was lying on the top of the couch. The Italian smirked.

"I see you've done as I asked," Lovino said.

"Everything disappeared," Francis said.

"Si. That was the point."

"And what will happen to your brothers and grandfather now?"

"They will have the overwhelming need to leave the town. I'm finished with them. I'm not going to kill them, and I don't really care about what happens to them after they leave. And if they don't leave in time, and one of the others decide to kill them, I won't stop it from happening."

Francis felt his blood run cold when he heard that explanation. It was somewhat kind of Lovino to give them the opportunity to try to leave, but if they didn't get out in time…

"Why would the others want to kill them?" Francis asked.

"You have no business knowing that yet," Lovino said, but instead of sounding angry, he sounded bored. "Kind of like what the Tomato Bastard did by using Bella to lead me on. And you helped him. You were one of the perverts that knew all of the compromising positions to take my picture in."

Francis felt his stomach drop at the harsh reminder. The things that he had done to Lovino and the others – the things that ultimately drove them to becoming demons – were horrible, and he doubted that he would ever be forgiven for those things.

Perhaps that was what Lovino was going for. He was trying to remind Francis of the fact that the things that had been done to them couldn't be forgiven, at least not easily. At least, not by the demons. If they were still human, then it might have been possible, but now…

Francis felt a jolt as he realised that there _was_ no way to atone to them. Not anymore. That time had passed. It was far too late.

He also couldn't walk out on them. Not after what they had done to the others. The fact that Francis was useful to them was why he was still alive. If he had decided to walk away, he knew that they would kill him. They made it clear that they still saw him as one of their bullies. Especially since he didn't apologise to any of them. The only one he _had_ apologised to was Vlad, and they weren't too impressed.

If there was a way to turn back time and undo the things he'd done, he would gladly take it. He would stop himself from doing all of those things. And he would try to make sure that they wouldn't become demons. That they wouldn't lose their humanity. That they wouldn't end up killing anyone.

Francis couldn't change the past. And he was terrified of what would happen in the future.

…

Vlad was curled up on the couch in his room, alone with his thoughts. He knew that Arthur was trying to help, but he still couldn't help the nagging feeling that something would go wrong. That the Kirklands would decide to do something drastic to eliminate the threat he posed.

He would already be forced to live isolated from others, with the exception of the Kirklands. And if something were to happen… If the Kirklands decided that it would be safer to simply lock him up somewhere… He would definitely go insane, and it wouldn't be a pleasant fate.

Arthur might have promised that they wouldn't do anything, but he couldn't speak for the rest of his family. Vlad knew that. And after he heard what had happened to Alistair… He was in the same category as the one that had done that to his teacher. It would be easy for them to blame him for what had happened. And it was possible that they would hate him. They might also be willing to dispose of Vlad to prevent something like that to happen again. And it would certainly interfere with the others' plans. Vlad wouldn't become a demon, but…

As he had said earlier, being a spirit could be considered the lesser of two evils. A spirit was also easier to deal with than a demon. They could come to the same conclusion and decide that it was better than wait for the inevitable.

Because it _was_ inevitable, as the demon had said. He was trapped between two states, a horrible fate, and he would try to get out of his current state of being. And one was impossible, which only left the other one as a possibility.

And how long would it take for them to stop seeing him as a human, and see him as a monster? And how much more would Lovino, Feliks and Matthew do? Would they go around, killing innocent people as a way to get the Kirklands to give him up? And if that happened, would the Kirklands decide that it would be better to kill him?

Then there was the fact that he was suffering another fate that was considered to be one of the worst there was. It was even worse than going to hell: being barred from the afterlife. He couldn't go to paradise. His soul was too tainted. And the hell dimensions… Oh, they would welcome him, sure, but it wouldn't be as though he belonged. He wouldn't have gained access in a typical way. And lingering around in the human realm, watching the world go by and unable to be a part of it was its own special kind of torture. He would also have to live with his emotions, particularly his sorrow, loneliness and regret.

He also wouldn't be able to see his family again, regardless of what happened. If he could just hear their voices one last time…

There was one thing that made the prospect of turning into a demon more than inviting: The lack of emotions. He knew that he wouldn't have to deal with any of the emotions plaguing his heart if he completed the transformation. He wouldn't have to deal with any of that anymore. It was appealing.

But would it be worth it? Asides from his fear and paranoia, he had no reason to seek out a victim to kill. And the Kirklands were being so kind…

He had never been so conflicted in his life. He was only a teenager. Thoughts like this shouldn't cross his mind. He shouldn't be weighing the pros and cons of surrendering his humanity. His biggest concern should be writing exams.

Perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't come at all. Then he wouldn't be turning into a demon, and his parents would still be alive. He was the catalyst. It was because of his presence that everything had happened.

But… Just as that thought crossed his mind, another thought hurried to catch up to it. If he hadn't been there… then Feliks, Lovino and Matthew would still be bullied. He knew better than anyone what the bullies were capable of. The foursome had almost been killed on more than one occasion, all because of the bullies. And Feliks… What Allen had been doing to him was more than simple bullying. And _no one_ did anything about it! Lovino's grandfather didn't believe him, and Matthew was forced to live with one of their tormentors. If he hadn't come… Then they would still be the victims. And the bullies would have gotten bored with their current course and decided to try a new course. Like what Allen wanted to do with Feliks, before Insanity decided to kill him first.

Someone had said to do unto others before they could do unto you. And after having to endure what others did unto them for so long, it was no wonder they decided to choose the path they did.

But there was one last thing that concerned Vlad about what could have happened if he hadn't come. He had seen the scars they carried – the physical ones, inflicted on themselves. It wasn't too hard to imagine that they would have decided to end it all.

In a similar way that Vlad was considering it.


	41. Chapter 40

**Thanks to Zaaze, Hilly, SansTheLanguage218, RinKagamine002, AwesomenessUponMe and ScandinavianTrash for reviewing. 350 reviews. Thanks guys.**

 **I'm sorry! Everything's been hectic lately. It should be better soon enough.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 40**

"Are you ready yet?" Romulus called out.

"Almost!" Marcello shouted back, carrying his suitcase.

He had been surprised when his grandfather and brother came home early, before Marcello's own shift could begin. And when Romulus had told him that they were leaving, he felt as though it was the best idea he ever heard.

He passed a room and stopped, looking inside. It was an unused room, probably meant to be a guestroom, which was strange. The school found the family a house that would accommodate them, with the correct number of bedrooms. They didn't give a guestroom.

So it was strange that the Vargases had a guestroom, though they've never used it. But Marcello noted that it was very clean. His own room was dustier than this room.

Something tugged at his mind, but he shook it off. His grandfather was waiting for them, and he couldn't waste time by contemplating an unused bedroom.

He continued on his way, and this time his eyes landed on a family picture. It was his grandfather, Feliciano and Marcello. But again, something tugged at his mind, and he couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. But again, he dismissed it as nothing.

He finally came down, and he was a bit irked to see that Feliciano was already there. He shouldn't have gotten distracted by nothing.

"About time," Romulus said. "Now come on. Let's get out before it gets too dark."

They drove away as the sun set, leaving the town behind. Until the murderer had been found, Romulus didn't want to expose his two grandsons to the risk that they might be in danger.

None of them knew about what they truly left behind. None of them saw the teenaged boy bearing a strong resemblance to them watching as they drove away, a small smile on his face.

…

Vlad emerged from his room after a while. He had done a lot of thinking about his lot in life, and what he needed to do. But first, there was something that he had to do.

He went towards the door that had remained closed the entire time, and he knew why. He took a deep breath, before hesitantly knocking. He then gave a wry chuckle.

"I don't know how to address you," Vlad said. "Is it Mr Kirkland, or just Alistair?"

There was silence on the other end, and Vlad sighed.

"I can help," he said. "I know how to undo what Lovino did to you."

Again, there was no reaction, and Vlad contemplated whether to stay or leave when the door opened. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the state Alistair was in, and the other didn't miss it.

"And how exactly could you do _that_?" Alistair asked, and the hostility wasn't lost on Vlad.

Vlad took a deep breath, before he placed his hand on Alistair's face. He could see Alistair's eyes widen, and the skin started to heal and become rejuvenated. Vlad removed his hand, and Alistair hesitantly touched his cheek.

"H-how?" he asked.

Vlad gave a small smile.

"A demon can undo the curses of other demons," Vlad said.

Alistair looked startled for a moment, but then Vlad snapped his fingers. Alistair dropped to the ground, an aneurysm causing him to die, just like with Elizaveta a while back.

"I'm not going to waste my life," Vlad said coldly, staring at the corpse. "I live, it will be hell. I die, my soul will find no rest. At least _this_ way, I won't have to endure any more suffering. And at least you died with your own face back."

Vlad could feel the transformation taking effect, and he could also feel the magic of the Kirklands working to expel him. Before the two could clash, he needed to get out.

"I'm sorry, Arthur," he whispered.

He thought of a destination and allowed his magic to take him there.

…

Feliks made his way to Vlad's house, a huge smile on his face. He could sense what Vlad had done, and he was more than pleased. Finally, the ritual was complete, and they could start with their final plan.

The last piece of the puzzle.

The moment when Feliks stopped in front of the door it opened to reveal Vlad, who looked pale, and it was clear that he was suffering from the effects of the transformation. He didn't pass out, which meant that it was a horrible sensation, but it didn't last for _too_ long.

"I see you went through with it," Feliks said.

"You already knew that," Vlad said. "I just… I need to rest."

"I understand," Feliks said. "And Vlad, welcome back."

Vlad nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"When you feel ready, come to my house," Feliks said. "There's something to discuss. Something to do as friends."

"I'd like that," Vlad said.

…

Peter came out of his room, intending to go downstairs to get dinner. He glanced over towards Alistair's door and hesitated. He saw something in the doorway. It looked like…

Peter swallowed nervously, before walking over towards the lump. He saw the red hair and gasped.

"A-Alistair?" Peter questioned, before kneeling down. "A-are you okay?"

He saw the glassy green eyes opened wide. He tried to shake his elder brother awake, but there was no response.

"Alistair," Peter said tearfully. "Please tell me you're okay."

As he continued trying to wake Alistair, the reality of the situation started to sink in, and he screamed in horror.

…

Ian sighed in exhaustion when he returned home. Everything was just so complicated lately, and he really wanted to take a break from it all.

There was also something that bothered him. Alfred's parents had come to the station to demand to recover his body. They wanted to return to the town where Alfred grew up. They wanted to bury him there.

And it didn't seem as though they even remembered who Matthew was. They even asked him whether or not Matthew was Alfred's friend.

He also couldn't help but think that there was something very wrong with the town. Something was going to happen, but he had no idea what it could be.

He found his family in the living room, and he was worried when he saw them all crying.

"What happened?" he asked in alarm.

"It's Alistair," Alice said. "He's dead."

Ian's eyes widened as his blood turned cold.

"H-how did that happen?" he asked, shocked to hear this information.

"We're not sure," Will said. "But Vlad's missing too."

"Y-you… You don't think that… That Vlad…?"

"We do," Patrick said. "It would seem that there was _some_ small mercy."

"What do you mean?" Ian asked. "What could possibly be a small mercy?"

"He restored Alistair's face to its original state," Alice said. "If he was going to kill him, then why restore him in the first place?"

Ian shook his head.

"Do you know what happened to cause Vlad to decide to go through with it?" he asked.

The others all shook their heads.

"But you can sense it, can't you?" Alice asked. "Something's going to happen."

Ian nodded his head.

"Alfred Jones's parents came to collect his body," he said. "They wanted to leave town as soon as possible."

"No mere coincidence," Will said. "Something will _definitely_ happen."

"But what could it be?" Patrick asked.

"Whatever it may be, I have a feeling that it would be very bad," Arthur said.

…

Vlad made his way to Feliks's house. He didn't bother with knocking, simply walking inside. He smirked when he saw the others, who all looked happy to see him.

"About time," Lovino said. "So, have you thought of a name for yourself?"

Vlad cocked his head to the side.

"Is that a requirement?" he asked.

The others just shrugged.

"We decided to do so," Matthew said. "Destroy our links to our humanity."

Vlad nodded his head.

"Morthew, Rovino and Felsza," Vlad said. "Interesting names. And the way that you came upon them… I think I want one as well."

Vlad was silent for a while, thinking about the ideal name. He smirked when he found one.

"I think I'll settle for something like Vlasan," Vlad said. "My name, with the word 'sânge'."

"Blood," Feliks said. "Interesting."

"So, what did you have in mind?"

"There's still a sacrifice ready for you," Matthew said.

Vlad smirked.

...

Lukas groaned as he saw Arthur's number appear on the screen of his phone.

"I told you," Lukas said. "I'm not going to get involved."

"Lukas, Vlad killed Alistair," Arthur said. "He's a demon now."

Lukas was frozen in place, shocked to hear the news. He swallowed nervously.

"So… What happens now?" Lukas asked. "I mean… Their end goal couldn't have been to get all of them to become demons. There must be something more."

"I'm afraid you might have a point," Arthur said. "We're going to find out what it is, and we'll stop it."

"If it _can_ be stopped. Any idea what tipped Vlad over the edge?"

"I… I'm not completely sure," Arthur said. "But… I think a major turning point is when he found out that his parents and little brother are dead."

"What?!"

"He got the call last night. They died in an accident. But then… You remember when he told us about the demon that followed him here?"

"Yes…"

"We… We summoned it. We wanted to learn more. And it said that, since Vlad and the others were _chosen_ , there are a lot of forces that _wanted_ them to complete the transformation. And one of them was responsible for the death of his parents. He was also… When he found out that there is no afterlife for him, he completely lost it."

"It's understandable," Lukas said. "To be barred from the afterlife is perhaps an even worse punishment than hell. I mean… There are legends that state that even hell would reject someone who is true evil. But Vlad wasn't evil."

"But now he is, and we need to be careful. We have no idea what he must be thinking, or what they're planning."

…

Vlad entered the bedroom, where they were keeping Mathias. Francis was there as well, having brought Mathias something to eat. Both jumped when they saw Vlad.

He had slipped into his own demonic form. His hair had gotten longer, shaggier, with a few red streaks. He also had markings on his cheek, just like the others, except his resembled a cloud of bats. His eyes were already red, but now they looked more vivid. He wore a red dress shirt with loose-fitting black pants, and black gauntlets covering his forearms, going over the sleeves of the shirt. He also wore black boots.

Both of the former bullies knew what this meant.

"Well now," Vlad said. " _This_ isn't something you see too often."

"Shit," Mathias said. "Look, I'm sorry about everything…"

"No you're not," Vlad said coldly. "You're just willing to say _anything_ to be able to walk away _alive_ from this."

Vlad crouched down in front of Mathias, and the other shrank back.

"You kept pushing me to the ground," Vlad said casually. "You said that I needed to remember that I'm 'beneath' you. And now look at us. You're on the ground, and I'm standing over you. You're beneath _me_."

Mathias looked as though he wanted to say something, but Vlad silenced him.

"Whatever you are going to say is something I don't want to hear," Vlad said. "But tell me something. Did you _honestly_ think that you were the first people to comment upon my resemblance to a vampire? I'd actually forgotten the teasing I used to receive. The only difference was that it _stayed_ at teasing. And it stopped as soon as the other kids got used to me. What you did to me… It was far worse. It was pure torture. I didn't deserve it. Neither did they."

Mathias swallowed nervously.

"W-what are you going to do to m-me now?" Mathias asked.

"Are you scared?" Vlad asked in amusement.

Mathias closed his eyes, not wanting to nod, but Vlad seemed to have understood the meaning.

"You should be," he said. "Have you ever wondered what would happen if your blood flow were to reverse?"

Mathias gasped, his face turning red.

"For one thing, it would need to drain blood from the different areas of the body," Vlad said. "Like the brain and the lungs. And the blood clashes, since the flow was disrupted. And the heart… It isn't strong enough to handle it. And then, at some point, the same thing would happen that usually happens if there's an air bubble."

Mathias started gasping, the disruption in his blood flow preventing oxygen from reaching the integral parts. He spasmed one last time, before dropping to the ground, blood coming out of his nose and eyes.

"And then you die," Vlad said.

The four demons turned their attentions to Francis, who was trembling in horror from what he had been forced to watch.

"You're going to help us with a little something," Feliks said. "And it will start at midnight."

"What's going to happen?" Francis asked.

"Well," Vlad said, "we have to be able to enter the Kirklands' house. They're probably the only ones that could possibly prove to be a problem."

"And let's not forget everyone that simply stood by and let us go through hell," Matthew said. "But now, hell would be paying them all a little visit."

Francis paled.

"What are you planning to do?" he asked.

"You'll see," Lovino said.

…

Lukas had been asleep, but he suddenly woke up. Something seemed to disturb him, and he couldn't help the feeling of unrest that settled over his heart.

"Hello Lukas."

He jumped, eyes searching in the darkness for the speaker. He recognised the voice, which made his blood run cold.

He saw the glowing red eyes, and even through the darkness he could see the other's face, and the smirk that the face wore.

"V-Vlad," Lukas said. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I'm assuming that Arthur warned you about what I did, and what I became," Vlad said.

"Why?" Lukas asked. "Why did you do that?"

"Why did I throw my life away? It's simple. I wouldn't _have_ a life anymore. Living in isolation for the rest of my days? And when I die, I wouldn't be able to cross over. I simply decided to go with the fate that I know for certain."

"You went with the option that sounds the most secure," Lukas whispered.

"Da."

"Why are you here?"

"You see, it isn't enough that the ones responsible for our torture are dead. The bastards that took pleasure in our pain. What about those that _allowed_ for it to happen?"

Lukas's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't…" he said.

"Oh, we would," Vlad said. "And you're probably wondering why I'm here."

"I tried! I tried to stop Mathias. I tried to be there to support you."

"Perhaps. But you didn't try hard enough. But then there's also the little issue of your magic. You might pose a threat to us."

"No," Lukas said, feeling horrified. "I won't. I won't do anything."

"That might change. You wouldn't want to put Emil in danger. And if you think that our presence would put your little brother in danger, then you would try to stop us. You would ignore our warning. It's so predictable."

"I won't. I…"

"I can't trust you, Lukas. It's simple."

Lukas felt his chest clench, and he gasped in pain. He felt the darkness closing in, until all he could see was Vlad's glowing red eyes.

"And don't worry about Emil," Vlad said. "You didn't break the rules. You didn't interfere, except for allowing Arthur to take the stone. We won't kill him."

…

Miguel woke up, feeling restless. There was something wrong.

He heard something rustling in his room, and he jumped up to see what it was. He could see a silhouette of someone, and he worried that someone was trying to rob him.

"Finally awake," the other person said.

"Lovino?" Miguel questioned. "What are you doing here?"

Miguel heard fingers snapping, and the lights turned on. He was confused. How did that even happen? And what was Lovino wearing?

"We've been thinking," Lovino said. "All the people that allowed us to suffer at the hands of your cousin and his friends… They turned a blind eye. Imagine someone standing by and allowing a murder to happen right in front of them. Not very fair, is it?"

Miguel frowned.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked. "And what are you doing in my house?"

"I killed Antonio," Lovino said.

"What?" Miguel asked, eyes widening.

"I turned him into dust," Lovino continued casually. "He tried to kill me. He wanted to strangle me. So I finished him off first."

"This isn't funny," Miguel said.

For the first time, Lovino looked over towards him, and Miguel shrunk back in surprise. Lovino's eyes were glowing red.

"Everyone stood by and allowed them to kill us," Lovino said. "We had to go through hell. But then hell decided that we'd make good employees. And our first order of business was to send the ones that ruined our lives to hell."

Miguel shook his head, trying to wrap his mind around everything.

"What's going on?" he asked, a little afraid of what he was being told.

"Every day, people watched us being killed and didn't do a thing about it," Lovino said. "But I'll admit that _you_ at least tried. You tried to stop your cousin. And you _wanted_ to be friendly with me, but you understand that I didn't trust you, right?"

Lovino walked closer to Miguel, and he shrank back.

"You weren't a complete asshole like the others," Lovino said. "So I'm not going to kill you. But you're not getting out of this unharmed."

Lovino suddenly clapped his hand over Miguel's face, and the other screamed in pain. After a while he pulled his hand away.

"And now you're marked," Lovino said, before simply disappearing.

Miguel felt his face before rushing to his mirror. He screamed when he saw the hand-shaped patch of skin that looked as though it belonged to a rotting corpse.

 **Again, I'm so sorry. But I think that there will be one more chapter, and maybe an epilogue. I'm not sure yet. Also, I'll be going to France, and it might take some time to sort out the wi-fi. So just a heads-up in case I don't post next Friday.**

 **I'm also not completely sure what would happen if you reverse the blood flow, but I get the feeling that it would** _ **not**_ **be pretty. I don't think there's a very large chance of a person surviving the effects.**


	42. Chapter 41

**Thanks to Terra, Chireain, Zaaze, Hilly, AwesomenessUponMe, SansTheLanguage218, Sky-Hetalia-Trash, ScandinavianTrash, RinKagamine002 and Fanciey Crietures for reviewing.**

 **I'm sorry. I'm currently in France on an assistantship and haven't had access to wi-fi and was really busy… But I think, ahead of schedule, I'll give you the epilogue after this chapter. Yeah, it's almost over. And then I'll open up a poll for The World Meets Canada.**

 **And for those reading Ve, We Totally Fooled You… I'm sorry. As I mentioned, I've been busy, and am suffering from a mild writer's block with that story. But as soon as I'm finished, I'll post it. Actually, updates might be irregular for a while.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Chapter 41**

Arthur was lying in his bed, his mind wide awake. He could sense that something was happening. Something demonic. And it wasn't just the demonic presence in town. They were actually _doing_ something at that point in time. But what it could be, Arthur didn't know, and he was afraid of finding out.

Ian had gone out some time ago. He could sense what was happening as well, and he wanted to combine his role as policeman with his role as wizard, even though his magic was particularly weak compared to his sons.

Ian wanted to prevent any more deaths, but how he would go about it, he didn't know, which worried the rest of the family. Arthur was afraid for his father. He didn't know what the demons would do to him, and he wasn't sure about whether or not the protective charms would be enough to protect him.

He still couldn't believe that Vlad would have done something like that. That he had killed someone in order to become a demon. That he had killed Arthur's _brother_.

The others he could understand was out of desperation. That they were trapped in a corner, and they didn't have another choice. But Vlad… Sure, he was feeling depressed, and it was understandable. His parents had died, and the friends he had made became monsters. Became murderers. But it would have eventually faded. Vlad would have come to terms with everything, and he would have seen that he still had something to live for. There was no reason to do something like that.

Arthur felt that he had to demand an answer from Vlad, but he didn't think he would get one. Vlad would probably refuse to tell him, or tell him a lie. Anything but the truth.

He couldn't imagine that someone would prefer to become a demon, especially someone that knew about the deeper workings of the world. Perhaps it was _because_ Vlad knew about it that he decided to go through with it. Because he knew that his soul wouldn't find rest.

And the one that had given that piece of information was a demon, an unreliable source. Arthur didn't think that the demon was telling the truth, but apparently, Vlad _did_. And if he felt that he was doomed in the next world…

Arthur sighed in frustration, before he reached for his cell phone. If _he_ couldn't sleep, then there was a chance that Lukas couldn't either.

Lukas's phone kept ringing, and Arthur felt worried. Once the phone went into voicemail, Arthur called his father.

"Arthur? What happened?"

"I need you to check on Lukas," Arthur said. "He's not answering his phone."

"Alright. Hopefully it's nothing, but considering the circumstances…"

"Exactly. Thanks for understanding."

Arthur hung up, biting his lip. He knew that there was a chance that it was nothing. That Lukas was just asleep, or his phone was on silent, or _something_ …

He really hoped that it was nothing.

…

"It's very simple," Vlad said, smirking at Francis. "All you have to do is get invited into their house."

"How?" Francis said. "How could I…?"

"How could you get invited? It's simple. Arthur's father is outside now, trying to see what's going on. They can sense that something is happening. They can sense that we're busy. And if you tell them that you saw what was happening and that we're after you, they will let you in."

Francis shook his head, looking as though he wanted to cry. He couldn't believe that this was happening. How could things have gone so far?

"You can't try to warn any of them," Vlad said. "Not until it's too late. You know what we're capable of. You don't want us to turn that on you, do you?"

"N-no," Francis said. "Please."

"You know how this came to be. What you and your friends did to me and _my_ friends. Eventually, all of the things you've done catches up to you, and if they were good, you get rewarded. If they were bad, you're punished. You've done horrible things to us, and now it's time for you to be punished."

"I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry."

"It's too late for 'sorry'," Vlad said coldly. "And 'sorry' doesn't make things go away."

"I know. I was stupid. But please…"

"Please _what_?"

"Please don't do this."

"And why not? People that allow others to suffer when they're in the position to stop that suffering… Really, they're no better than the ones that inflict the suffering. We've already punished the bullies, and you're _living_ your punishment. But it's time for us to punish everyone else. As soon as the others have marked the people that they don't want to die, it will _really_ begin."

Vlad didn't need to elaborate even more. It was because they both knew that Vlad hadn't been there long enough to have anyone else. The only people he could possibly want to spare were Lukas and Arthur, the ones that had actually tried to stick up for him. And yet, because of their magic, they were considered a threat and had to be dealt with.

Francis felt horrified that he would have to be responsible for what was going to happen, but there was no way around it. Because if he _didn't_ do it… He would probably not be killed. It would be too kind. They would torture him as much as possible, and if he was lucky, they _might_ kill him.

"There's also one little thing…" Vlad said, smirking.

Francis felt a chill run down his back when he saw that smirk.

…

Ian parked in front of Lukas Bondevik's house. He grabbed a hold of the charm around his neck, and he also had another charm painted on his chest for extra protection.

He made his way to the door and knocked urgently. He was both surprised and relieved to hear someone on the other side, and the door opened.

It wasn't Lukas, but someone else. Ian at first thought that he might have gotten the wrong house, but then he remembered that Lukas had a half-brother.

"Is there a problem, officer?" the other asked.

"I'm looking for Lukas," Ian said. "And you are…?"

"Emil. Did he do something?"

Ian shook his head.

"No. It's something else."

Emil stayed silent for a while, before nodding his head.

"I'll go get him," Emil said. "You're welcome to come in."

Ian nodded his head in thanks, going inside. He could sense that there wasn't a protective charm, and it worried him.

He watched Emil disappear around a corner, and he waited a while. He jumped when there was a scream, and he ran after Emil.

"What happened?" Ian demanded.

Emil didn't have to answer, not that he could have. Lukas was lying on his bed, but no longer alive. Not with his eyes wide open, blood pouring out of them like tears, along with his mouth.

"What happened?" Emil whispered, his eyes wide and face growing pale.

Ian couldn't answer. He knew what it was, but he couldn't tell Emil. He just couldn't figure out _why_.

"I don't know," Ian said. "But I don't think you should stay here."

"B-but…" Emil stuttered. "L-Lukas…"

"Trust me," Ian said. "We need to get out of here."

The front door slammed, scaring the both of them. Ian ran towards the door, Emil following behind.

There was no one inside the house, but Ian didn't let down his guard. He had a feeling that one of _them_ was nearby. Because that was the only reason why Lukas would be dead now.

"Did… Was he murdered?" Emil asked.

"Yes," Ian said. "And I think the murderer is still nearby."

Emil moved closer towards him, and Ian knew that it was probably a bad idea to scare the teen, but he needed to know that they were in grave danger. That there was a very real threat nearby, even if Emil didn't believe in what that threat was.

There was a crash from outside, sounding as though glass was breaking. Ian's eyes widened, and he pulled out his gun, not that it would do much against the demons, but it was in an effort to make Emil feel safe. Then carefully, he opened the door.

He was a little outraged at first to see that the sound of glass breaking had come from his car, where the windows had been shattered. And perched on the roof of the car was Feliks, smirking down at them.

"About time," Feliks said. "Though it's a shame about your windows. Oh well. If you had come out sooner, this wouldn't have happened."

"What do you want?" Ian asked, pointing the gun at Feliks, even though he knew that it wouldn't do any good. "You already have Vlad. What more is it that you want?"

"We want to finish what we started," Feliks said, voice cold. "Those directly responsible are all dead. But what about the ones that _allowed_ it to happen?"

Ian's eyes widened, and he swore that he could feel his heart stop. Feliks grinned, and it looked as though his face was splitting in two.

"We're not just going to kill a handful," Feliks said. "We're going to kill _everyone_."

And with that, everyone in the nearby houses started screaming. Ian narrowed his eyes when he heard the sounds.

"What the hell are you doing, Feliks?" Ian demanded.

"Oh, it's really simple," Feliks said. "I'm driving them insane, before they kill themselves."

"Why?" Ian snarled. "Why are you doing this? These are innocent people!"

"No one's innocent," Feliks said. "Not in _this_ town." He glanced towards Emil. "You can be lucky that your _dear_ big brother played along. That's the only reason why you're still alive."

"Don't do this."

"Too late."

All of a sudden, the screaming stopped. Feliks grinned in satisfaction.

"All of them are dead now," he said. "Goodnight, _officer_."

With that, Feliks disappeared. Ian felt someone gripping his arm, and he turned towards Emil, who was as white as a ghost.

"What's going on?" he demanded. "What's happening?"

Ian sighed.

"Get in the car," Ian said. "I need to make a stop. I'll explain on the way."

…

Alice heard frantic knocking at the front door, and she went down to investigate. She didn't open the door right away, though. She knew that something was going on, and didn't want to invite danger into the house.

"Who's there?" she demanded.

"F-Francis! Please, let me in! They're… Mon dieu!"

Alice hesitated for a moment, before she opened the door. There stood Francis, eyes wide, face pale and clutching his side. It looked to be bleeding.

"Please," Francis said. "I need to see the officer."

"He's not here right now," Alice said. "What happened?"

"I… Lovino and Mathieu and… They're monsters. They're… Mon dieu… Everyone's dying!"

"Shh," Alice shushed. "Let's get you inside, alright?"

The others had all come down, the commotion enough to warrant an investigation. When Arthur saw that it was Francis, he narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Arthur demanded.

"They're…" Francis said. "They're killing everyone. It wasn't enough. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

"What are you apologising for?" Patrick asked.

"It's my fault. It's all my fault."

"You're bloody right it is!" Arthur said, walking closer. "You and your friends… Why? Did it make you feel big to make others feel small? Why would you do something like that?"

"I… I don't know anymore," Francis said, bowing his head. "I'm sorry."

"'Sorry' won't fix anything now."

"That… That's not what it's for."

"Then what is it?"

"I…"

Francis doubled over in pain, the bloody wound apparently growing larger. He opened his mouth, and smoke started pouring out. The smoke divided into four, and soon enough, the four demons were standing there.

"We couldn't have gotten in without a vessel," Vlad said, grinning widely.

…

Ian arrived at Wulfric's house, banging on the door. Emil stayed close by, not quite believing what Ian had told him, but not wanting to be apart from the only sign of security.

There was no answer, and Ian banged on the door again. After waiting for a few moments, he decided to stop wasting time and started looking for the keys.

As an officer, he was given a master key that should allow access to every house in town. After some difficulty, he managed to get the door open. He glanced towards Emil and gestured for him to be quiet.

He knew the way to Wulfric's room, and turned on the light. If Wulfric was still alive, it would give him the necessary rude awakening.

But Wulfric _wasn't_ alive. His eyes were wide open, but there was no sign of life. Ian went to check on Wulfric's son, only to see something similar, except that Ludwig had tried to get out of bed.

"Did _they_ …?" Emil asked.

"I think so," Ian said.

"Why? Why are they doing this?"

"Because they blame everyone for not coming to their aid when they needed it. Come on. I'm taking you to my home. You should be safe there."

…

Francis was huddled in a corner, tightly holding Peter. Matthew was standing over Alice, Lovino had his hand wrapped around Patrick's throat, Feliks was near Will, and Vlad had Arthur in a corner.

Matthew's hand was reaching into Alice's chest, squeezing her heart. She was writhing as much as possible, but it was useless.

Lovino was _slowly_ allowing Patrick to decay. The dead skin was spreading out from the central point, where Lovino's hand was. Patrick kept clawing at the hand, but it was no use.

Feliks was grinning as he forced Will to break his own fingers, one by one. Will was aware of it, but he was completely unable to control his own body. He had no other choice.

And Vlad was simply grinning at Arthur, who tried to look brave, in spite of his fear.

"Why?" Arthur asked. "We _tried_ to help you."

"No," Vlad said. "It wasn't _me_ you were trying to help. It was all of those useless people outside. You only wanted to protect _them_."

"That's not true. I wanted to help you. I… I thought we could be friends…"

"And that was only after you ended your friendship with Alfred that you started feeling that way. You were happy to have me in your club, but that would have been all I was to you: a clubmate."

"No, I…"

Vlad placed his hand on Arthur's chest, and Arthur swallowed nervously.

"All of your blood is starting to clot," he said. "By the time it reaches your heart… When it does, you will face a slow and painful death. Which is why I'm speeding up the process."

Arthur spat in Vlad's face, glaring at him.

"Go to hell!" Arthur snapped.

"Oh, I will," Vlad said. "And they'll welcome their new recruits."

The only other sound was Will's screaming. Feliks was having too much fun torturing the other. Alice was already still, and Patrick's movements were starting to become sluggish.

…

When Ian returned home, he was shocked to see the four demons, and all but two of his family dead. Feliks kept his eyes focused on Will, who was crying desperately, blood streaming out of his mouth after he had apparently bitten his tongue. The other demons all turned to Ian.

"There you are," Vlad said. "It took you a while to get here."

Ian reached into his holster, but the gun flew away from him. The three demons rounded on him.

"That won't do anything to _us_ ," Vlad said.

"It's time to pay your dues, _officer_ ," Matthew said.

"You were too late," Lovino said. "Always too late."

Vlad was the one that reached him first, grabbing his head. Ian tried to struggle, but Vlad effortlessly snapped his neck. He allowed the corpse to drop to the floor before he turned his gaze to Emil, who was trembling in fright near the door.

Emil _could_ have left right then, but his knees felt too weak. All he could do was stare. Vlad chuckled, before he turned his attention to Feliks.

"Finish him," Vlad said. "And then we'll leave. Everyone else is already dead."

"What?" Emil whispered.

"We're honouring our promise to Lukas," Matthew said. "He wouldn't interfere, or else you would die. He kept his promise, so we'll keep ours."

"The kid didn't do anything," Lovino said. "And he wasn't in the position _to_ do anything. Killing him would be completely unfair."

"And Francis…" Vlad started, before he smirked. "Let's just say that he's going to have to live with his guilt for the rest of eternity."

Will's screams died out, and the four demons disappeared, leaving three of the only survivors alone.

…

No one knew what had happened in that town. Authorities had been called from outside, but no one could determine what had happened, or how nearly an entire town filled with teenagers had died in a single night.

The survivors weren't any help. Their words were nonsensical, and they kept saying things about 'monsters' and 'demons'. It was all chalked up to being from shock, and they were all sent to separate asylums in the hope of getting better. But after a year, nothing had changed.

It was an international incident unlike any other. Student records were examined, and identities were determined. Parents who had merely sent their children to the school were contacted and informed of the massacre – if it _was_ a massacre – and their children would be shipped off to them. They also checked to see who wasn't in the town and _why_.

In the end, four students remained unaccounted for, and not even their parents seemed to know that they existed. It was a strange case, but there was nothing else that could be done. They didn't have any proof that the relatives were merely covering for them, and a search for these students remained.

The four students were Feliks Łukiesciewisc, Vladimir Lupei, Matthew Williams and Lovino Vargas.

 **Now all that's left is the epilogue.**


	43. Epilogue

**I know, the prologue didn't make another appearance. I** _ **was**_ **going to have it as an ending, but it didn't work out like that. So now, you have this.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.**

 **Epilogue**

Kasem Aromdee pulled away, and the larger boys laughed at him. Fighting tears in his eyes, he started the long trek home.

It was like that every day. He was pushed around, insulted, humiliated… He couldn't take it anymore!

He returned home and entered his room. He paused when he saw someone was sitting on his bed. Someone he didn't recognise.

"Who are you?" Kasem demanded. "Why are you here?"

The other grinned, showing off his fangs, and his red eyes seemed to glow.

"My name is Vlasan," the other said. "And I came to help you with your little problem."

"What problem?" Kasem asked.

"The bullying. I can make it all end, for a price."

"Why? What's the price?"

"Your soul. And as for 'why'… Let's just say, I was once like you. I was once a human, but then I had _enough_."


End file.
